Bill filing begins, setting stage for 2017 Texas Legislature
The unofficial launch of the Texas Legislature’s 85th session got underway Monday with the prefiling of bills that will be debated, amended and in some cases ignored through the first half of 2017.
In the Texas Senate, where paper copies of bills are still required, the line formed outside the calendar clerk’s office well before its 8 a.m. opening as staffers vied for the low bill numbers that are sequentially added to each filed piece of legislation.
In fact, first in line were aides to Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, who so covets the low bill numbers that she positioned a rotating group of staff members outside the clerk’s office since 5 p.m. Friday so 42 pieces of legislation could be the first to be prefiled — including efforts to cancel pensions for elected officials convicted of a felony, strengthen anti-hazing laws and improve courtroom security.
House members file their bills electronically.
Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/bill-filing-begins-setting-stage-for-2017-texas-legislature/8lLEjZDzhbVu0cGuQynxJM/?ref=cbTopWidget