5893 Bills filed in House & Senate
By Senator Ken Paxton
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas May 10th is
the last day the House can take up and consider House bills other than local bills (May 15th the last day for local bills) and May 22nd is the last day the Senate or the House can take up and consider any bills. With approximately two weeks left here is an
overview of what has happened so far during the 2013 Legislative Session.
The week of April 29th through May 3rd marked the start of the final 30 days in the 83rd Regular Legislative Session.
- House members filed a total of 4079 HBs and HJRs (House bills and proposed constitutional amendments)
- To date the House has passed 692 of those.
- Senate members filed 1870 SBs and/or SJRs
- the Senate has passed 910 of those.
- A total of 42 bills have been finally passed by both chambers and sent to the Governor for his signature.
Historically the vast majority of bills filed in session will not pass. For example in the 82nd legislative session (2011) about 22 of the bills filed were passed.
The final days of session are reserved for resolving differences in versions of bills passed by both chambers and for making technical corrections on passed legislation. Following the end of session the Governor has through June 16th to sign bills or to veto or allow them to become law without his signature.
Much work remains to be done before the session ends on May 27th. As we continue to debate and discuss the legislation before us please remember to contact my office and voice your opinion.
One of the best ways to affect policy change is to contact your state representatives in the House and Senate.
I look forward to hearing from you.
State Senator Ken Paxton was elected to the Texas Senate in 2012 after serving five terms in the Texas House of Representatives. His Senate District 8 includes the majority of Collin County including the cities of Allen Frisco McKinney Plano Richardson and part of Dallas County.
