Texas Senate adopts ceremonial resolutions, recognizes visiting groups and approves procedural motions

A series of ceremonial resolutions and routine procedural motions were adopted by the Texas Senate during its Jan. 29, 2025 floor session at the State Capitol in Austin.

The chamber adopted resolutions recognizing Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol, American Public Works Association Day, and congratulating Heather Keister as engineer of the year, among other commemorations. Senators also moved and approved procedural measures including dispensing with the reading of the previous day’s journal and suspending Senate Rule 11.13 to allow committees to meet during bill reading and referral. The Senate recessed until 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 3, for the reading and referral of bills and will adjourn upon conclusion until 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Resolution 16 (sponsors: Miles, West, Alvarado, Cook): Designated Jan. 29, 2025, as Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the State Capitol. Adopted by voice vote; chair announced no objection. Sponsor remarks: "It is my great honor and privilege to welcome the esteemed members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated to the Texas State Senate today," said Senator Miles.

- Senate Resolution 9 (sponsor: Perry): Recognized Jan. 29, 2025, as American Public Works Association Day at the State Capitol and noted the contribution of public works professionals statewide. Adopted by voice vote; chair announced no objection. Senator Barry highlighted APWA’s statewide membership and infrastructure statistics during remarks.

- Senate Resolution 10 (sponsor: Perry): Congratulated Heather Keister on being named the South Plains Chapter 2024 Engineer of the Year. Adopted by voice vote; chair announced no objection.

- Senate Resolutions 13 and 18 (sponsors not specified in the chamber text): Read and adopted; details were presented on the floor and the chair announced no objection to adoption.

- Motion to dispense with reading of yesterday’s journal (mover: Dean of the Senate): Adopted by voice vote; chair announced no objection.

- Motion by Senator Zafarini to suspend Senate Rule 11.13 so committees could meet during the reading and referral of bills: Adopted by voice vote; chair announced no objection.

- Privileged motion by the Dean of the Senate to recess until 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 3, for reading and referral of bills and to adjourn afterward until 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4: Adopted by voice vote; chair announced no objection.

What the Senate heard and who was recognized

Members of the Texas Police Chiefs Association were invited to rise and were recognized from the floor; Senator Flores introduced and thanked the group, saying, "The Texas Police Chiefs Association was founded in 1958 to promote, encourage, and advance the professional development of Chiefs of Police and senior police management personnel throughout the state of Texas." Several individual chiefs were named from Senator Flores’s district.

Senator Hinojosa and other senators recognized visiting delegations, including a Brownsville delegation led by the city’s mayor and commissioners; Hinojosa said, "Brownsville holds a unique and storied place in Texas history," and welcomed the visitors to the capitol.

Senator Nichols introduced the doctor of the day, Dr. Joshua Splinter, and noted Dr. Splinter’s role as a family medicine physician in Athens and as an associate program director for a family residency program. Two physicians serving in the chamber clinic were named during roll call and introductions.

Procedural and scheduling notes

The reading and referral of bills will occur at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 3; the Senate will stand adjourned until 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4 upon conclusion of that reading and referral. The finance committee announced it would reconvene its hearing at 12:45 p.m. on the same day. The chair repeatedly announced adoptions by voice vote and stated there were no objections to the listed resolutions and motions.

Ending

The floor session on Jan. 29 consisted largely of ceremonial recognitions, brief remarks by sponsors and invited guests, and routine procedural business. No contested roll-call votes or substantive policy debates were recorded in the transcript for the items adopted during this sitting.