12 | HR Connection
The Final Weeks of the 88th Legislature
F
or anyone who successfully completed a government class during their senior year in high school, they likely remember that the legislative system is structured to make passing a bill difficult. This structure is beneficial to all citizens…almost all of the time! Just as systems and schedules are critically important for our public school system, systems and schedules are the order of the day (for all twenty weeks) for the Texas Legislature as those 181 elected officials navigate the 140 day legislative session on a biennial basis. For the citizens of Texas—the millions of people
Important Deadlines for Bill Actions BY DAVID D. ANDERSON
affected by the decisions of the Texas Legislature— the session’s many procedural rules and deadlines seem confusing and arcane. For Texas educators, understanding how the final weeks of any session work is important. The House and Senate operate with certain calendar rules that are intended to be a practical summary guide to the end-of-session deadlines. Here is an outline of what to expect as the final three weeks of the 88th Session wind down: MAY 8:
Last day for House Committees to report