Texas Government Code Title 3, Chapter 301 - Legislative Organization

SUBCHAPTER A INITIAL MEETING AND ORGANIZATION

• Texas Section 301.001 - Time Of Meeting
  The legislature shall convene in regular session at 12 noon on the second Tuesday in January of each odd-numbered year. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch....
• Texas Section 301.002 - Who May Organize
  The following persons only may organize the senate and house of representatives: (1) senators who have not completed their terms of office; and (2) individuals...
• Texas Section 301.003 - Secretary Of State As Presiding Officer
  (a) The secretary of state shall attend the convening of each regular legislative session and shall preside. (b) If there is no secretary of state...
• Texas Section 301.004 - Duties Of Clerk
  (a) Under the direction of the secretary of state, the clerk shall call the counties in alphabetical order regardless of whether the secretary of state...
• Texas Section 301.005 - Lack Of Quorum
  If a quorum is not present on the day the legislature is to convene, the secretary of state and the clerk shall attend each day...
• Texas Section 301.006 - Selection Of Officers
  (a) Immediately after election of the speaker of the house of representatives under Section 302.001, the speaker shall take the chair. (b) After the speaker...

SUBCHAPTER B LEGISLATIVE REORGANIZATION ACT

• Texas Section 301.007 - Distribution Of Journals
  (a) The lieutenant governor and speaker shall each appoint an employee to distribute the journal of the respective houses. (b) The employee shall distribute a...
• Texas Section 301.011 - Short Title
  This subchapter may be cited as the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1961. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 479, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.
• Texas Section 301.012 - Purpose
  The legislature believes that it must conduct its activities on a full-time and continuing basis in order to achieve efficiency and continuity in performing its...
• Texas Section 301.013 - Selection Of Committees
  (a) In its rules of procedure or in a simple resolution, each house may determine the number, composition, function, membership, and authority of its committees....
• Texas Section 301.014 - Powers And Duties Of Standing Committees
  (a) Each standing committee shall: (1) conduct a continuing study of any matter within its jurisdiction and of the instrumentalities of government administering or executing...
• Texas Section 301.015 - Meetings Of Standing Committees
  (a) When the legislature is in session, each standing committee shall, if practicable, meet regularly according to applicable legislative requirements and rules of procedure. A...
• Texas Section 301.016 - Special Committees
  (a) By resolution, each house acting individually or the two houses acting jointly may create special committees. (b) A special committee shall perform the duties...
• Texas Section 301.017 - General Investigating Committees
  (a) By resolution, each house may create a general investigating committee. (b) The senate general investigating committee must consist of five senators appointed by the...
• Texas Section 301.018 - General Investigating Committee Meetings
  (a) Each general investigating committee may begin work as soon as it desires after its members are appointed. Each general investigating committee created under this...
• Texas Section 301.019 - Joint General Investigating Committee Hearings
  (a) On a majority vote of each general investigating committee, the committees may conduct joint hearings and investigations. The committees may adopt joint rules to...
• Texas Section 301.020 - Powers And Duties Of General Investigating Committees
  (a) Each general investigating committee may initiate or continue inquiries and hearings concerning: (1) state government; (2) any agency or subdivision of government within the...
• Texas Section 301.021 - General Investigating Committee Employees
  (a) If for any reason it is necessary to obtain assistance in addition to the services provided by the State Auditor, attorney general, Texas Legislative...
• Texas Section 301.022 - Testimony Under Oath
  (a) All legislative committees shall require witnesses to give testimony under oath, subject to the penalties of perjury. (b) The oath required by this section...
• Texas Section 301.023 - Administering Oaths
  (a) The following individuals may administer oaths to testifying witnesses: (1) the president of the senate; (2) the speaker of the house; (3) the chairman...
• Texas Section 301.024 - Process
  (a) A general investigating committee may issue process to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, records, documents, and instruments required by...
• Texas Section 301.025 - Refusal To Testify
  (a) A witness called by either house or by a legislative committee does not have a privilege to refuse to testify to a fact or...
• Texas Section 301.026 - Contempt Of Legislature
  (a) A person commits an offense if the person: (1) has been summoned as a witness to testify or produce papers by either house or...
• Texas Section 301.027 - Prosecution For Contempt Of Legislature
  (a) If a person is summoned by either house or any legislative committee as prescribed by Section 301.024 and fails to appear, refuses to answer...
• Texas Section 301.028 - Cooperation Of Other Agencies
  (a) Each standing committee, including a general investigating committee, may request necessary assistance from all state agencies, departments, and offices, including: (1) the State Auditor;...
• Texas Section 301.029 - Appropriations For Salaries, Per Diem, And Expenditures
  (a) Each house may pay contingent expenses for the entire term of each member of that house. (b) Each house may appropriate money to pay...
• Texas Section 301.031 - Committee Staff
  From its contingent expense fund, each house may provide for necessary clerks, clerical assistance, and staff to each committee created by that house. Acts 1985,...
• Texas Section 301.032 - Gifts And Grants
  (a) Either house of the legislature may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code for...
• Texas Section 301.033 - Allocation Of Space In Legislative Services Building
  (a) The space in the legislative services office building and parking facilities authorized by Chapter 168, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, is...

SUBCHAPTER C MEMBERSHIP ON INTERIM COMMITTEES

• Texas Section 301.034 - Sale Of Texas Flags And Similar Items
  Either house of the legislature may acquire and provide for the sale of Texas flags and other items carrying symbols of the State of Texas....

SUBCHAPTER D LEGISLATIVE PUBLICATIONS

• Texas Section 301.041 - Termination Of Membership
  (a) A duly appointed senator's or representative's membership on the Legislative Budget Board, Legislative Library Board, Legislative Audit Committee, Texas Legislative Council, or any other...

SUBCHAPTER E LEGAL REPRESENTATION OF LEGISLATURE

• Texas Section 301.051 - Issuance Of Publications
  Either house of the legislature or a legislative agency may produce and sell or distribute publications that the house or agency determines to be of...
• Texas Section 301.061 - Legal Representation Of Legislature
  (a) Subject to the requirements of Subsection (b) and to the exception provided in Subsection (c), the legislature, after notifying and consulting the attorney general,...

Last modified: September 28, 2016