The Texas Legislature
88th Regular Session

Follow the Legislative Session As It Develops.

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Follow Along As the 88th Legislative Session Develops

Now that the General Election is over, our attention turns to governing and the 88th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature. As allowed by Texas House and Senate Rules, the prefiling period started on November 14 when a record number of bills were prefiled. It is going to be a very busy Regular Session.

At noon, on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, the 88th legislative session begins. The Texas Legislature, barring any special sessions called by the Governor of Texas, will sit in session for 140 days.

The Dallas County Republican Party will follow along with the session from prefiling to adjournment in sine die.

The pages of this section will adjust as needed.

Prefiling

In Texas, the House Rules (Rule 8, Section 7) and the Senate Rules (Rule 7.04(a)) allow legislators to prefile bills "beginning the first Monday after the general election preceding the next regular legislative session."

Prefiling for the 88th Texas Legislature began on Monday, November 14, 2022, the first Monday after the general election on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. A total of 920 bills and resolutions were filed in the House and Senate on November 14, a record number for the first day of the prefiling period.

Below are statistics comparing all bills and resolutions filed during the prefiling period for the 71st Legislature (1989) to the 88th Legislature (2023).

Introduction of a Bill

A bill is first introduced by a legislator in the legislator’s own chamber, which is considered the bill’s originating chamber. Following the passage of the bill by that chamber, the bill moves to the opposite chamber for approval before proceeding to the governor. The steps in a bill’s progress are basically the same in each chamber, with many opportunities for the amendment or defeat of the bill.

To introduce a bill, a legislator must file the bill with the chief clerk of the house or the secretary of the senate, as appropriate. Both the House and Senate rules permit the unrestricted introduction of bills during the first 60 calendar days of a regular session. After the 60-day deadline, the introduction of any bill, other than a local bill, an emergency appropriations bill, or a bill to address emergency matters submitted by the governor, requires the consent of at least four-fifths of those representatives present and voting if the bill is to be introduced in the House, or the consent of at least four-fifths of the members of the senate if the bill is to be introduced in the Senate.

The Legislative Process

Click the image below to download a whitepaper on how the process works.

88th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

88th Legislature convenes at noon.

Friday, March 10, 2023

60-day deadline for bill filing.

Monday, May 29, 2023 (140th day)

Sine die.


TXLege Follower


As of November 14th, Texas Legislators have been filing bills for the upcoming legislative session. Please note that bills haven't been assigned to committees yet, merely filed.


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