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House clerk reads long list of bills on first reading; referrals assigned to committees
Summary
At the end of the March 25, 2025, session the House clerk read dozens of bills and resolutions on first reading and referred each to the appropriate standing committee. The items covered a broad range of topics including education, public health, criminal justice, energy, tax, and transportation.
AUSTIN — After adopting the ceremonial calendar on March 25, 2025, the Texas House clerk read a lengthy list of bills and resolutions on first reading and referred them to standing committees, a routine step that places bills in the committee process for hearings and possible markup.
The clerk read bills including (by citation as read): HB 3551 (relating to school district students' reentry to regular education after alternative programs) — referred to Public Education; HB 3552 (relating to criminal conduct involving theft of copper or brass) — referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Veterans Affairs; HB 3553 (use of deadly force and defense of property) — Criminal Jurisprudence; and HB 3554 (establishment of a Texas rare disease advisory council) — Public Health. The clerk's list continued through additional bills and joint resolutions, including proposals affecting property tax, teacher contracts, higher education, energy and renewable generation, election law, and other policy areas. Several Senate measures and constitutional amendment proposals were also noted for committee referral.
The clerk's reading placed each measure on the House's first-reading calendar and assigned a committee referral, the next procedural step for consideration. The reading itself does not imply endorsement by the House; bills must next be scheduled by committees for hearings and committee votes before reaching the full chamber for debate.
Examples of subject areas in the clerk's list include: public education (multiple bills on curriculum, reading assessments, teacher contracts and certification), criminal jurisprudence (deadly force, search warrants, parole), public health (rare disease advisory council, hospital staff background checks), natural resources and energy (groundwater conservation, renewable energy generation), transportation (highway naming, selection methods for contractors), and local government matters (county authority, hotel occupancy tax). The clerk also read proposed Senate joint resolutions on topics such as bail and creation of research institutes; those measures will follow their committee referral paths.
Ending: The reading and referral concluded the day's session; the House adjourned pending the reading and referral of bills until 10 a.m. Wednesday as recorded on the floor.
