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Texas Senate adopts ceremonial resolutions, invites chief justice to joint session and reassigns bill on municipal electronic communications
Summary
On Feb. 12, 2025, the Texas Senate adopted a series of ceremonial resolutions recognizing regional delegations, approved House Concurrent Resolution 5 to invite the chief justice to a Feb. 26 joint session and, by unanimous consent, withdrew and re-referred a bill on municipal electronic communications to the Committee on Local Government.
The Texas Senate on Feb. 12, 2025 adopted multiple ceremonial resolutions recognizing regional delegations and organizations, approved a House concurrent resolution to invite the chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court to a Feb. 26 joint session of the legislature, and by unanimous consent withdrew a municipal electronic-communications bill from one committee and re-referred it to another.
Senator Hinojosa of Nueces introduced Senate Resolution 42 recognizing Feb. 12, 2025 as Coastal Bend Day at the state capitol and welcomed local leaders to the gallery. "The Coastal Bend is more than just a region. It's a way of life for so many great people," Senator Hinojosa of Nueces said on the Senate floor, and named attendees including Paule Cuajardo, mayor of Corpus Christi; Nueces County Judge Connie Scott; and Kent Britton, CEO of the Port of Corpus Christi. Senator Hinojosa of Hidalgo added remarks about the area's economy, universities and military presence.
Other recognitions and resolutions the body adopted included Chambers County Day (SR 74 by Senator Creighton), Pasadena Day (remarks by Senator Middleton and Senator Alvarado), and a resolution commemorating the centennial of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors in Texas (SR 76 by Senator Hughes). The Senate also adopted a package of resolutions read together—SR 52 by King, SR 69 by Hinojosa of Nueces, SR 72 by Middleton, SR 73 by West, SR 75 by Blanco, SR 82 and SR 83 by Colchorse, and SR 84 by Sparks—by viva voce vote.
On a procedural matter, Senator Zafarini moved adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 5, which provides for a joint session on Feb. 26 for the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas to deliver the state of the judiciary address. The Senate called the roll and the secretary reported 29 ayes and 0 nays; the resolution was adopted.
Separately, the Senate accepted a written motion asking unanimous consent to withdraw "Senate Bill 710" (described in the motion as relating "to the establishment and use of a written electronic communication system accessible to the public by certain municipal entities") from the Committee on Business and Commerce and re-refer it to the Committee on Local Government. Senator Eckhart presented the motion; Senator Schwartner and Senator Bettencourt were identified as the chairs of the committees involved. Members were asked if there was objection; the chair reported none and the motion was granted by unanimous consent.
The floor also included ceremonial introductions (for example, Doctor Diego Moreno as the doctor of the day and members of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Student Visionaries program) and brief announcements about committee meetings. Senator Huffman announced the Senate Committee on Finance would meet at 12:30 p.m. in Room E1036; Senator Flores announced the Senate Criminal Justice Committee would reconvene at 12:30 p.m. in Room E1016 to continue a hearing on bail reform. The Senate adjourned until 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 13.
Votes at a glance
- House Concurrent Resolution 5 (HCR 5): Adoption to invite the chief justice to address a joint session on Feb. 26, 2025. Vote: 29 ayes, 0 nays (roll call). Moved by Senator Zafarini. Outcome: adopted.
- Senate Resolution 42 (SR 42) — Coastal Bend Day: Adopted by no-objection voice vote. Moved by Senator Hinojosa of Nueces. Outcome: adopted.
- Senate Resolution 74 (SR 74) — Chambers County Day: Adopted by no-objection voice vote. Moved by Senator Creighton. Outcome: adopted.
- Senate Resolution 76 (SR 76) — NAIFA centennial: Adopted by no-objection voice vote. Moved by Senator Hughes. Outcome: adopted.
- SR 52 (King), SR 69 (Hinojosa of Nueces), SR 72 (Middleton), SR 73 (West), SR 75 (Blanco), SR 82 & SR 83 (Colchorse), SR 84 (Sparks): Read together and adopted by viva voce (voice) vote. Outcome: adopted.
- Motion to withdraw and re-refer a bill (described in the motion as "Senate Bill 710, relating to the establishment and use of a written electronic communication system accessible to the public by certain municipal entities"): Presented as a written motion and acted on by unanimous consent; withdrawn from Committee on Business and Commerce and re-referred to Committee on Local Government. Presenter: Senator Eckhart; chairs named in the motion: Senator Schwartner (from which withdrawn) and Senator Bettencourt (to which re-referred). Outcome: approved by unanimous consent (no roll call).
Context and limits
Most items on the floor were ceremonial recognitions or routine committee and scheduling actions. The only recorded roll-call vote in the transcript was HCR 5 (29-0). The referral of the bill was accomplished by unanimous consent; no roll call or recorded individual member votes were taken on that motion. The transcript does not record committee debate on the referred bill or any substantive floor debate on policy changes during this session.
