Texas House of Representatives Committee Appointments
There are approximately 6,000 plus bills filed each Legislative Session. Since the Legislative Session is only 140 days long, not all of these proposed laws can be voted on. The legislative process is highly dependent on committees to ensure that legislation makes it through the process in an orderly manner. In brief, a House Bill or House legislation is read on the House floor then referred to an initial committee. The committee then holds a hearing and votes on whether or not the proposed legislation will proceed to one of the Calendars committees. The Calendars committees have a similar process. If the legislation makes it out of those committees, then the legislation will go to the House floor for an official debate and vote.
The Texas House of Representatives’ committee appointments for the 85th Legislative Session were recently read into the House of Representatives’ official record. Speaker Joe Straus assigned all the Representatives to 40+ committees, which can be seen by visiting House Committees. The Representatives will serve on their committees until December 31, 2018.
I was appointed to three committees this Legislative Session. Speaker Straus reappointed me as the Chairman of the General Calendar committee. I was also reappointed to the Criminal Jurisprudence committee, but as the Vice Chair rather than as a general member. The final committee I was appointed to is the County Affairs committee as a general member. Each committee is highly active and has a variety of duties.
The Criminal Jurisprudence committee is made up of seven Representatives. This committee examines all proposed legislation that creates, addresses, or amends criminal law, prohibitions, standards, and penalties. Other matters of concern to the Criminal Jurisprudence committee include: probation and parole, criminal procedures in the courts of Texas, alteration to the Penal Code, and any legislation that affects the Office of State Prosecuting Attorney or the Texas State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision.
I was also appointed to the County Affairs committee. I previously sat on the County Affairs committee during the 83rd Legislative Session in 2013. The nine Representatives appointed to this committee are charged with considering all bills pertaining to counties. This includes any bills that propose alterations to the Commission on Jail Standards or counties’ organization, creation, boundaries, government, finance, and the compensation and duties of their officers and employees. Additionally, all legislation that proposes revisions to regional councils of governments, multi-county boards or commissions, relationships or contracts between counties, and/or establishes districts for an election of governing bodies will be referred to and voted on in this committee.
There are two committees that manage the calendar of the House of Representatives. There is the Local and Consent calendar and the General Calendar committees. I serve as the Chairman of the General Calendar committee; which handles proposed laws that affect the entire state. This committee has a total of fifteen members who are responsible for deciding the calendar for the Texas House floor sessions. The General Calendar committee considers proposed legislation from both the House and Senate. Visit the The House of Representatives daily calendar, for more information.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.texas.gov or at 512-463-0672
