Bill Text: TX HR189 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Suspending the constitutional order of business.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-01-24 - Filed [HR189 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR189-Introduced.html
82R6236 TJB-F | ||
By: Martinez Fischer | H.R. No. 189 |
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WHEREAS, Section 5(b), Article III, Texas Constitution, | ||
reads: | ||
"When convened in regular Session, the first thirty days | ||
thereof shall be devoted to the introduction of bills and | ||
resolutions, acting upon emergency appropriations, passing upon | ||
the confirmation of the recess appointees of the Governor and such | ||
emergency matters as may be submitted by the Governor in special | ||
messages to the Legislature. During the succeeding thirty days of | ||
the regular session of the Legislature the various committees of | ||
each House shall hold hearings to consider all bills and | ||
resolutions and other matters then pending; and such emergency | ||
matters as may be submitted by the Governor. During the remainder | ||
of the session the Legislature shall act upon such bills and | ||
resolutions as may be then pending and upon such emergency matters | ||
as may be submitted by the Governor in special messages to the | ||
Legislature."; and | ||
WHEREAS, It is specifically provided in Section 5(c), Article | ||
III, Texas Constitution, that either house may otherwise determine | ||
its order of business by an affirmative vote of four-fifths of its | ||
membership; and | ||
WHEREAS, Texas is facing the largest revenue shortfall in the | ||
state's history; and | ||
WHEREAS, The proposed cuts to the state's budget in House | ||
Bill 1 (82nd Texas Legislature) include the elimination of | ||
prekindergarten programs that would affect 192,000 children; a | ||
$1.57 billion reduction in payments to nursing facilities, ensuring | ||
that the state will not keep its promise to the elder population; | ||
the termination of 100,000 educational jobs that will cripple the | ||
state's economy and schools; a drastic reduction of $1.15 billion | ||
for the Texas Closing the Gaps Program that will result in the | ||
dreams of many Texans who aspire to higher education being | ||
deferred; and the eradication of four community colleges that will | ||
change the fate of the hundreds of students at those schools; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Governor has identified five emergency items to | ||
be considered by the 82nd Texas Legislature but has failed to | ||
acknowledge either the largest deficit in the state's recent | ||
history or that the deficit is the largest current threat to the | ||
state's prosperity and to the fulfillment of the promises made by | ||
the legislature to the state's citizens; and | ||
WHEREAS, The House of Representatives acknowledges the | ||
challenges Texas faces with resolving the state's economic troubles | ||
and revenue shortfall; as both Democrats and Republicans, the | ||
members of the House of Representatives recognize the state budget | ||
as the single most important legislative matter to be considered by | ||
the 82nd Texas Legislature; and | ||
WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives | ||
acknowledge that the members are bound by duty and service to the | ||
constituents of the members' legislative districts to put all other | ||
matters aside and devote the full attention and energies of the | ||
House of Representatives to mastering and resolving the state's | ||
budget challenge; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas | ||
Legislature, by an affirmative vote of four-fifths of its | ||
membership, That the order of its business for the regular session | ||
is hereby determined to be otherwise than set forth in Section 5(b), | ||
Article III, Texas Constitution, and declared to be specifically as | ||
set forth in the permanent rules of the House of Representatives of | ||
the 82nd Legislature, except that during the first 60 days of the | ||
regular session the House may not consider any bill before the | ||
general appropriations bill, and may consider any other bill after | ||
that bill is considered on second reading in the manner provided by | ||
the permanent rules of the House of Representatives. |