Texas House Bill HCR49

Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Caption

Granting the legislature permission to adjourn for more than three days during the period beginning on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, and ending on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

Impact

The adoption of HCR49 allows the Texas Legislature to manage their time and schedules more effectively by permitting adjournments that might be essential for various legislative or administrative reasons. The resolution's approval reflects a proactive approach to legislative management, ensuring that both houses could pause and regroup without breaching constitutional guidelines. This kind of resolution can be pivotal for handling extensive legislative agendas or for accommodating various unforeseen circumstances.

Summary

HCR49 is a House Concurrent Resolution from the 87th Legislature of Texas that grants permission for each house of the legislature to adjourn for more than three days during the specified period from March 3, 2021, to March 9, 2021. This resolution is significant as it pertains directly to legislative procedure and the operational flexibility of the legislative bodies in Texas. The underlying constitutional provision, specifically Section 17 of Article III of the Texas Constitution, mandates that neither house may adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other, thus emphasizing the collaborative nature of legislative functions.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding HCR49 appears to be predominantly positive among its supporters, who view it as a necessary facilitation of legislative processes. The resolution was adopted with significant majority votes in both the House (119 yeas to 27 nays) and the Senate (31 yeas to 0 nays), indicating a strong consensus for this procedural adjustment. There doesn't seem to be notable opposition to the measure, which may point to a general agreement on the necessity of flexibility within the legislative session.

Contention

While there is limited contention regarding HCR49, the process by which legislative bodies adjourn can sometimes yield debate about the implications of such adjournments on public access to government processes and transparency. Nonetheless, the resolution passed without significant controversy, suggesting that legislators were unified in the recognition of the need for operational flexibility during a busy legislative session.