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Senator Wiseman elected chair, Rep. Soper vice chair; committee readopts rules
Summary
At its Jan. 22 organizational meeting, the Committee on Legal Services elected Senator Wiseman chair and Representative Soper vice chair, readopted its operating rules and set tentative meeting dates for the 75th General Assembly.
Senator Wiseman was elected chair of the Committee on Legal Services on Wednesday during the panel’s organizational meeting, and Representative Soper was elected vice chair. The committee then readopted its rules for the 75th General Assembly.
The leadership nominations came under the committee’s practice of rotating the chair’s chamber and party affiliation each session. Senator Gonzales nominated Wiseman; the nomination was seconded by Representative Luck. Wiseman thanked the committee and accepted. A roll-call vote recorded unanimous support: Representative Camacho (Yes), Senator Carson (Yes), Senator Frizzell (Yes), Senator Gonzales (Aye), Representative Joseph (Yes), Representative Luck (Yes), Representative Mabry (Yes), Senator Roberts (Aye), Representative Soper (Yes) and Senator Wiseman (Aye).
After electing leaders, the committee considered Rule 12’s annual requirement to review and readopt committee rules. Director Ed DeCicco of the Office of Legislative Legal Services summarized the rules and related practices for new members, including quorum and open meetings requirements and the committee’s role in retaining outside counsel for litigation involving legislative defendants. Representative Soper moved to readopt the current rules; the committee took a roll-call vote and unanimously approved the readoption.
Chair Wiseman and Director DeCicco discussed scheduling for the session and asked members to hold several Friday and mid‑week morning dates in February through April for meetings on the office budget, further rule review and other business. The committee agreed to reserve Feb. 7 (with Feb. 14 as a backup), a late‑February date for additional rule work, March 19 and April 9; times were proposed starting as early as 7:30 a.m. with the chair to confirm final start times and rooms.
The committee also confirmed that remote participation is permissible for members when needed and that staff will circulate calendar confirmations by email.
