Bill Text: TX HR21 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amending the permanent rules of the House of Representatives to provide for the imposition of penalties on absent members.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-09-27 - Referred to House Administration [HR21 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HR21-Introduced.html

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87S30232 MAW-D
By: Tinderholt H.R. No. 21

R E S O L U T I O N
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 87th
Texas Legislature, That Sections 6 and 8 of Rule 5 of the permanent
rules of the House of Representatives of the 87th Legislature are
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 6. MOTIONS IN ORDER WHEN QUORUM NOT PRESENT. If a
registration or record vote reveals that a quorum is not present,
only a motion to adjourn or a motion for a call of the house and the
motions incidental thereto, including motions to impose penalties
on absent members, shall be in order.
Sec. 8. SECURING A QUORUM. (a) When a call of the house is
moved for one of the above purposes and seconded by 15 members (of
whom the speaker may be one) and ordered by a majority vote, the
main entrance to the hall and all other doors leading out of the
hall shall be locked and no member permitted to leave the house
without the written permission of the speaker. The names of members
present shall be recorded. All absentees for whom no sufficient
excuse is made may, by order of a majority of those present, be sent
for and arrested, wherever they may be found, by the
sergeant-at-arms or an officer appointed by the sergeant-at-arms
for that purpose, and their attendance shall be secured and
retained. The house shall determine on what conditions they shall
be discharged. Members who voluntarily appear shall, unless the
house otherwise directs, be immediately admitted to the hall of the
house and shall report their names to the clerk to be entered in the
journal as present.
(b) Until a quorum appears, should the roll call fail to
show one present, it shall not be in order to recess under a call of
the house and no business shall be transacted, except to adjourn,
compel the attendance of absent members, or, by a vote of a majority
of all members, impose the following penalties on absent members:
(1) removal of an absent member from any committee
chairmanship;
(2) removal of an absent member from any procedural
committee; and
(3) permanent removal of any privilege or advantage
regularly due to an absent member on the basis of seniority [to
adjourn. It shall not be in order to recess under a call of the
house].