Texas Legislative Glossary For The 85th Legislature.pdf

ACT—A public law enacted by the Texas Legislature. A bill that has been passed by both chambers of the legislature and presented to the governor becomes law if it is signed by the governor, if it is not signed by the governor within a specified period, or if the governor vetoes the bill and the veto is overridden by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

ACTION—A description of a step that a measure undergoes as it moves through the legislative process.

ACTUARIAL IMPACT STATEMENT—A document prepared by the Legislative Budget Board that provides an assessment of financial risk for any bill or joint resolution that proposes to change benefits or participation in benefits of a public retirement system or change the financial obligations of the system.

ADJOURNMENT—The termination of a meeting. Adjournment occurs at the close of each legislative day on completion of business, with the hour and day of the next meeting set before adjournment. See RECESS.

ADJOURNMENT SINE DIE—The termination of a legislative session, with no intention of reconvening.

ADOPTION—The approval or acceptance of a measure, usually applied to amendments or resolutions.

ADVICE AND CONSENT—The procedure by which the senate gives approval to or confirms appointments made by the governor.

AMENDMENT—Any proposed alteration to a bill or resolution as it moves through the legislative process. Amendments to a measure may be proposed by members in their assigned committees or by any member of a chamber during that chamber’s second or third reading consideration of the measure.

APPORTIONMENT—The determination of the number of members that each state sends to the U.S. House of Representatives.

APPROPRIATION—An authorization by the legislature for the expenditure of money for a public purpose. In most instances, money cannot be withdrawn from the state treasury except through a specific appropriation made in the General Appropriations Act.

AS FILED—Used to refer to the text of a bill as it appeared when first filed with the chief administrative officer of the originating chamber.

AUTHOR—The legislator who files a bill and guides it through the legislative process (also called the primary author). The senate allows multiple primary authors for each bill or resolution. The house of representatives allows only one primary author, the house member whose signature appears on the original measure and on the copies filed with the chief clerk. Both chambers also have coauthors, and the house of representatives has joint authors.

BICAMERAL—Used to refer to a legislature consisting of two chambers, such as the house of representatives and the senate.

BIENNIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE (BRE)—A statement prepared by the comptroller of public accounts showing the financial condition of the state treasury at the close of the last fiscal period and an estimate of the probable receipts and disbursements for the current year as well as an itemized estimate of the anticipated revenue to be credited during the succeeding biennium.

BIENNIUM—A two-year period. In Texas, the state biennium runs from September 1 of an odd-numbered year through August 31 of the next odd-numbered year.

BILL—A type of legislative measure that requires passage by both chambers of the legislature and action by the governor in order to become effective. A bill is the primary means used to create and change the laws of the state.

BILL ANALYSIS—A document prepared for all bills and joint resolutions reported out of committee. A bill analysis may include background information on the measure, a statement of purpose or intent, and an analysis of the content of the measure.

BILL NUMBER—A unique number assigned to each bill filed with the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house. A bill’s number remains the same throughout the legislative process.

BRACKET BILL—A legislative measure intended to apply only to a particular class of political subdivisions or geographic areas described by characteristics that relate to the purpose of the law.

BUDGET EXECUTION—The authority granted to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board to shift state funds between agencies or agency programs within the adopted budget.

CALENDAR—A list of bills or resolutions that are scheduled or eligible for consideration by the members of a chamber on a specified date.

CALENDAR CLERK—A non-legislator officer elected by the members of the senate who is the custodian of all legislative documents awaiting senate action.

CALENDAR DAY—A day of the year on which the legislature may be in session. See LEGISLATIVE DAY.

CALENDAR SYSTEM, HOUSE—The system of calendars established in house rules that controls the legislative business of the chamber and includes the emergency calendar, the major state calendar, and the local and consent calendar.