Senate Caucus Report.

89(R) SR 721 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 721

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. CAUCUS REPORT. At a caucus held on

June 2, 2025, and attended by 31 members of the senate, the

caucus made the recommendations for the operation of the senate

contained in this resolution.

SECTION 2. EMPLOYEES. (a) The lieutenant governor may

employ the employees necessary for the operation of the office of

the lieutenant governor from the closing of this session and

until the convening of the next session. The lieutenant governor

and the secretary of the senate shall be furnished postage,

telegraph, telephone, express, and all other expenses incident

to their respective offices.

(b) The secretary of the senate is the chief executive

administrator and shall be retained during the interval between

adjournment of this session and the convening of the next session

of the legislature. The secretary of the senate may employ the

employees necessary for the operation of the senate and to

perform duties as may be required in connection with the business

of the state from the closing of this session and until the

convening of the next session.

(c) Each senator may employ secretarial and other office

staff for the senator's office.

(d) The chairman of the administration committee is

authorized to retain a sufficient number of staff employees to

conclude the work of the enrolling clerk, calendar clerk, journal

clerk, and sergeant-at-arms. The administration committee shall

establish the salaries for the senate staff.

SECTION 3. SENATE OFFICERS. (a) The following elected

officers of the 89th Legislature shall serve for the interval

between adjournment of this session and the convening of the next

session of the legislature:

(1) Secretary of the Senate--Patsy Spaw;

(2) Calendar Clerk--Nicole Albers;

(3) Doorkeeper--Matthew Peabody;

(4) Enrolling Clerk--Patience Worrel;

(5) Journal Clerk--Lourdes Litchfield; and

(6) Sergeant-at-Arms--Austin Osborn.

(b) All employees and elected officers of the senate

shall operate under the direct supervision of the secretary of

the senate during the interim.

(c) Officers named in this section serve at the will of

the senate.

SECTION 4. PARLIAMENTARIAN AND ASSISTANT PARLIAMENTARIAN.

The parliamentarian, Karina Davis, and the assistant

parliamentarian, Colby Beuck, are named by the lieutenant governor

and are officers of the senate. They shall serve for the interval

between adjournment of this session and the convening of the next

session of the legislature.

SECTION 5. DUTIES OF CHAIRMAN OF ADMINISTRATION

COMMITTEE. (a) The chairman of the administration committee

shall place the senate chamber in order and purchase supplies and

make all necessary repairs and improvements between the

adjournment of this session and the convening of the next session

of the legislature.

(b) The chairman shall make an inventory of all furniture

and fixtures in the senate chamber and in the private offices of

the members, as well as of the supplies and equipment on hand in

the purchasing and supply department, and shall close the books

for the Regular Session of the 89th Legislature.

(c) The chairman shall not acquire any equipment on a

rental/purchase plan unless the equipment is placed on the senate

inventory at the termination of the plan.

(d) The chairman shall examine records and accounts

payable out of the contingent expense fund as necessary to

approve all claims and accounts against the senate, and no claim

or account shall be paid without the consent and approval of the

chairman.

(e) The chairman and any member of the administration

committee shall be entitled to receive actual and necessary

expenses incurred during the interim.

(f) In addition to the duties of the administration

committee expressly imposed by this resolution, the committee

shall take actions necessary to ensure that the administrative

operations of the senate comply with applicable law and are

conducted effectively and efficiently.

SECTION 6. JOURNAL. (a) The secretary of the senate

shall have 225 volumes of the Senate Journal of the Regular

Session of the 89th Legislature printed. Two hundred and

twenty-five copies shall be bound in buckram and delivered to the

secretary of the senate who shall forward one volume to each

member of the senate, the lieutenant governor, and each member of

the house of representatives on request.

(b) The printing of the journals shall be done in

accordance with the provisions of this resolution under the

supervision of the chairman of the administration committee. The

chairman shall refuse to receive or receipt for the journals

until corrected and published in accordance with the preexisting

law as finally approved by the chairman of the administration

committee. When the accounts have been certified by the chairman

of the administration committee, the accounts shall be paid out

of the contingent expense fund of the 89th Legislature.

SECTION 7. PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND EXPENSES.

(a) Salaries and expenses authorized by this resolution shall

be paid out of the per diem and contingent expense fund of the

89th Legislature as provided by this section.

(b) The senate shall request the comptroller of public

accounts to issue general revenue warrants for:

(1) payment of the employees of the lieutenant

governor's office, the lieutenant governor, members of the

senate, employees of the senate committees, and employees of the

senate, except as provided by Subchapter H, Chapter 660,

Government Code, upon presentation of the payroll account signed

by the chairman of the administration committee and the secretary

of the senate; and

(2) the payment of materials, supplies, and

expenses of the senate, including travel expenses for members and

employees, upon vouchers signed by the chairman of the

administration committee and the secretary of the senate.

SECTION 8. EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT AND PER DIEM. (a) In

furtherance of the legislative duties and responsibilities of

the senate, the administration committee shall charge to the

individual member's office budget:

(1) the reimbursement of all actual expenses

incurred by the member when traveling in performance of

legislative duties and responsibilities or incident to those

duties; and

(2) the payment of all other reasonable and

necessary expenses for the operation of the office of the

individual senator during any period the legislature is not in

session. Expenditures for these services by the administration

committee are authorized as an expense of the senate and shall

not be restricted to Austin but may be incurred in individual

senatorial districts. Such expenses shall be paid from funds

appropriated for the use of the senate on vouchers approved by

the chairman of the administration committee and the secretary of

the senate in accordance with regulations governing such

expenditures.

(b) Each senator shall be permitted a payroll of $73,150

per month to employ secretarial and other office staff and for

intrastate travel expenses for staff employees. This payroll

amount accrues on the first day of the month and may not be

expended prior to the month in which it accrues, but any

unexpended portion for a month may be carried forward from month

to month until the end of the fiscal year. An unexpended amount

remaining at the end of each fiscal year, not to exceed $20,000,

may be carried forward to the next fiscal year. Other expenses,

including travel expenses or other reasonable and necessary

expenses incurred in the furtherance and performance of

legislative duties or in operation of the member's office or

incident thereto, shall be provided in addition to the maximum

salary authorized.

(c) The secretary of the senate may order reimbursement

for legislative expenses consistent with this resolution and the

establishment by the Texas Ethics Commission of per diem rates.

(d) Any member of the senate and the lieutenant governor

are eligible to receive such reimbursement on application of the

member or the lieutenant governor to the secretary of the senate.

(e) On the application of a member of the senate or the

lieutenant governor, the applicant shall be entitled to

reimbursement for legislative expenses for each legislative day.

(f) For purposes of this section, a legislative day

includes each day of a regular or special session of the

legislature, including any day the legislature is not in session

for a period of four consecutive days or less, and all days the

legislature is not in session if the senator or lieutenant

governor attends a meeting of a joint, special, or legislative

committee as evidenced by the official record of the body, and

each day, limited to 12 days per month for non-chairs or 16 days

per month for chairs and the lieutenant governor, the senator or

the lieutenant governor, including those living within a 50-mile

radius, is otherwise engaged in legislative business as

evidenced by claims submitted to the chairman of the

administration committee.

SECTION 9. MEMBER'S EMPLOYEE LEAVE POLICY. (a) An

employee of a senator accrues vacation leave, compensatory

leave, or sick leave in accordance with policies adopted by the

senator consistent with the requirements of this section.

(b) An employee may accrue vacation leave, compensatory

leave, or sick leave only if the employee files a monthly time

record with the senate human resources office. Time records are

due not later than the 10th day of the following month.

(c) Compensatory time must be used not later than the

last day of the 24th month following the month in which the time

was accrued.

(d) An employee is not entitled to compensation for

accrued but unused compensatory time.

SECTION 10. DESIGNATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND

FUNCTIONS. (a) The lieutenant governor may appoint any member

of the senate, the secretary of the senate, or any other senate

employee to attend meetings of the National Conference of State

Legislatures and other similar meetings. Necessary and actual

expenses are authorized upon the approval of the chairman of the

administration committee and the secretary of the senate.

(b) The lieutenant governor may designate a member of the

senate to represent the senate at ceremonies and ceremonial

functions. The necessary expenses of the senator and necessary

staff for this purpose shall be paid pursuant to a budget

approved by the administration committee.

SECTION 11. MEETINGS DURING INTERIM. (a) Each of the

standing committees and subcommittees of the senate of the

89th Legislature may continue to meet at such times and places

during the interim as determined by such committees and

subcommittees and to hold hearings, recommend legislation, and

perform research on matters directed either by resolution, the

lieutenant governor, or as determined by majority vote of each

committee.

(b) Each continuing committee and subcommittee shall

continue to function under the rules adopted during the

legislative session where applicable.

(c) Expenses for the operation of these committees and

subcommittees shall be paid pursuant to a budget prepared by each

committee and approved by the administration committee.

(d) The operating expenses of these committees shall be

paid from the contingent expense fund of the senate, and

committee members shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses

incurred in carrying out the duties of the committees.

SECTION 12. SENATE OFFICES. Members not returning for

the 90th Legislature shall vacate their senate offices by

December 1, 2026.

SECTION 13. FURNISHING OF INFORMATION BY SENATE

EMPLOYEE. An employee of the senate may not furnish any

information to any person, firm, or corporation other than

general information pertaining to the senate and routinely

furnished to the public.

SECTION 14. OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. An employee of the

senate may not be employed by and receive compensation from any

other person, firm, or corporation during the employee's senate

employment without the permission of the employee's senate

employer.

SECTION 15. REMOVAL OF SENATE PROPERTY. The secretary of

the senate is specifically directed not to permit the removal of

any of the property of the senate from the senate chamber or the

rooms of the senate except as authorized by the chairman of the

administration committee.

Zaffirini

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the

above Resolution was adopted by

the Senate on June 1, 2025.

________________________________

Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate