Texas House adopts ceremonial resolutions, allows committees to meet and refers dozens of bills on first reading
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Summary
On March 12, 2025, the Texas House adopted several ceremonial resolutions, granted committees permission to meet during session, deferred bill reading, and the clerk read and referred a long list of bills on first reading to standing committees.
The Texas House on March 12, 2025, adopted a series of ceremonial resolutions recognizing community leaders and institutions, voted to allow committees and subcommittees to meet while the House remains in session, and the clerk read and referred dozens of bills on first reading to standing committees.
Why it matters: The procedural votes clear the floor for committee work and move hundreds of individual proposals into the committee process; the adopted resolutions are ceremonial recognitions that require a formal House action to be placed on the record.
The House voted verbally to adopt multiple resolutions presented under suspension of the rules. Those included a memorial recognizing the life and community work of Tanya DuBose (HR476), a resolution proclaiming March 12, 2025, as Texas Tech University System Day at the Capitol (HR480), a recognition of South Texas ISD Day at the Capitol (HR498), and a resolution honoring Children’s Health ECMO Day (HR518). The chamber also adopted a previously moved unanimous request to add all members’ names to the Texas Tech resolution. The chair announced each adoption by saying, “Is there any objection? Chair hears none. The resolution is adopted,” indicating adoption by unanimous consent.
On procedure, Representative Hunter moved that the House grant “permission for all committees and subcommittees to meet while the House is in session pursuant to their committee postings or recess motions.” The chair heard no objection and the motion was adopted, authorizing committees to convene while the House remains in session.
Separately, a motion by Mr. Garrett to defer the reading and referral of bills to the end of the day’s calendar was presented and ordered. At the close of the floor, the clerk read an extended list of bills and resolutions on first reading; each item on that reading list was referred to the committee named immediately after the bill number. Examples in the clerk’s reading included HB 134 (Mayer) — relating to the location in which certain sales are consummated for purposes of local sales and use taxes (referred to Ways & Means) — and HB 1501 (Hunter Holt) — relating to a study of the feasibility of using seawater desalination in Texas (referred to Natural Resources). The clerk’s reading continued through a large set of House bills (numbered into the 1600s) and several proposed constitutional amendments and joint resolutions, each sent to the committee listed in the reading.
Votes at a glance - Motion to permit committees/subcommittees to meet while House is in session — mover: Representative Hunter; outcome: adopted (no objection). - Motion to defer reading and referral of bills to the end of the calendar — mover: Mr. Garrett; outcome: ordered/adopted (no objection). - HR476 (memorial for Tanya DuBose) — mover: Ward Johnson (moved suspension to take up); outcome: adopted (no objection). - HR480 (Texas Tech University System Day) — mover/explainer: Tepper; outcome: adopted (no objection); motion to add all members’ names (mover: Moody) — adopted (no objection). - HR498 (South Texas ISD Day) — mover: Martinez; outcome: adopted (no objection). - HR518 (Children’s Health ECMO Day) — mover: Ann Chia; outcome: adopted (no objection). - Adjournment pending reading and referral until 9 a.m. Thursday — mover: Buckley; outcome: adopted (no objection).
What was referred: The clerk’s first-reading list included bills on sales and use tax definitions, public health and medical cannabis provisions, education policy and funding, environmental and natural resource matters, public safety and criminal jurisprudence topics, elections and constitutional amendment proposals, and many others. Each bill read on first reading was sent to the committee specified by the clerk; many items were assigned to Ways & Means, Public Health, Natural Resources, Higher Education, State Affairs, and other standing committees.
The House recessed after ordering the adjournment and the clerk’s reading and referral of first-reading bills. Members were reminded that the chamber will convene at 9 a.m. the next day.
