Texas Senate Bill SCR16

Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Caption

Granting the legislature permission to adjourn for more than three days during the period beginning on Wednesday, February 20, 2013, and ending on Monday, February 25, 2013.

Impact

The implementation of SCR16 allows the Texas legislature to manage its session more effectively by extending its adjournment without breaching constitutional stipulations. This could lead to more strategic planning and scheduling of legislative business, enabling the houses to have adequate time for discussion, drafting, and consideration of bills without the pressure of an imposed short timeline. It underscores the ongoing need for the legislature to balance time constraints with comprehensive deliberation on matters affecting the state.

Summary

SCR16, introduced by Senator Whitmire, is a Senate Concurrent Resolution aimed at granting permission for the Texas legislature to adjourn for a period exceeding three days. Specifically, it seeks consent for an adjournment window starting on February 20, 2013, and ending on February 25, 2013. The motivation for this resolution stems from the stipulation in Section 17, Article III of the Texas Constitution, which requires mutual consent from both houses of the legislature to extend their recess beyond a three-day limit. Therefore, SCR16 facilitates the necessary legislative operational flexibility during this specified period.

Sentiment

The general sentiment surrounding SCR16 appears to be procedural and largely uncontroversial, as it addresses a technical aspect of legislative functioning rather than introducing contentious policy issues. Since the resolution simply seeks to facilitate the legislative process, it has garnered support primarily from members who recognize the importance of having flexibility in legislative scheduling. There is a lack of noted opposition in the available discussions.

Contention

Given that SCR16 is primarily a procedural measure, specific points of contention are minimal. However, any implications related to legislative adjournment could raise broader discussions about the efficiency of the legislative process and the responsibilities of the legislature to their constituents. Concerns might arise if such permissions were frequently sought to escape rigorous legislative responsibilities, although this particular resolution does not suggest such an intention.