Procedures Manual for Joint Committees Texas LegislaƟve Council For the 83rd LegislaƟve Interim Procedures Manual for Joint Commi ees Prepared by the Staff of the Texas Legisla ve Council Published by the Texas Legisla ve Council P.O. Box 12128 Aus n, Texas 78711-2128 Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, Joint Chair Speaker Joe Straus, Joint Chair Debbie Irvine, Execu ve Director The mission of the Texas Legisla ve Council is to provide professional, nonpar san service and support to the Texas Legislature and legisla ve agencies. In every area of responsibility, we strive for quality and efficiency. Copies of this publica on have been distributed in compliance with the state depository law (Subchapter G, Chapter 441, Government Code) and are available for public use through the Texas State Publica ons Depository Program at the Texas State Library and other state depository libraries. This publica on can be found at h p://www.tlc.state.tx.us/lege_ref.htm. Addi onal copies of this publica on may be requested from TLC accoun ng: In person: By mail: By phone: By fax: Plaza Level, Robert E. Johnson, Sr., Legisla ve Office Building 1501 N. Congress Avenue P.O. Box 12128, Aus n, TX 78711-2128 (512) 463-1155 (512) 936-1000 ii Table of Contents Introduc on ............................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1. Budget and Account Administra on .................................................................... 3 Budget ................................................................................................................................ 3 Account Administra on ...................................................................................................... 5 Gi s, Grants, and Dona ons .............................................................................................. 5 Chapter 2. Commi ee Staffing and Contracts........................................................................ 7 Commi ee Staffing............................................................................................................. 7 Directory of Staff Resources and Support .......................................................................... 8 Budgeted Staff.................................................................................................................... 8 Contract Staff, Consultants, and Expert Witnesses ............................................................. 9 Chapter 3. Administra ve Support .......................................................................................11 Telephones ........................................................................................................................11 Supplies and Purchasing....................................................................................................11 Photocopying, Duplica on, and Prin ng ...........................................................................12 Mail and Messengers ........................................................................................................12 Travel.................................................................................................................................13 Special Outlays ..................................................................................................................16 Directory of Administra ve Support .................................................................................18 Chapter 4. Commi ee Proceedings.......................................................................................21 Mee ngs and Hearings .....................................................................................................21 Final Commi ee Report ....................................................................................................24 Disposi on of Commi ee Records ....................................................................................25 Expira on of Commi ee ...................................................................................................25 Directory of Commi ee Proceedings Support ...................................................................26 List of Tables Table 1. Travel Expenses, Receipts, and Recordkeeping .........................................................17 Table 2. Examples of Dissen ng Statements ..........................................................................25 Forms Joint Select Commi ee Budget and Staffing Form TLC Personnel Ac on Form TLC Monthly Time Report TLC Receiving Report TLC Advance Travel/Registra on Request Form TLC Employee Travel Expense Informa on Sheet Commi ee Travel Expense Informa on Sheet Witness Affirma on Form Minute Notes iii Introduc on House Concurrent Resolu on 43 (H.C.R. 43), adopted during the regular session of the 83rd Legislature, authorizes the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of representa ves to create by mutual agreement joint commi ees they consider necessary to study issues of special legisla ve concern. The authoriza on lasts for the term of the 83rd Legislature, which expires January 13, 2015. For each commi ee created, the legisla ve presiding officers issue a joint proclama on iden fying the commi ee’s study topic or topics and its membership or composi on. The resolu on also directs the Texas Legisla ve Council to prepare, under the direc on of the lieutenant governor and speaker, a manual of procedures governing the financial, administra ve, and other opera ons of joint commi ees. This manual fulfills that direc ve and supplements procedural requirements contained in H.C.R. 43, state law, and other sources having legal applicability to legisla ve commi ees. The manual applies to those commi ees for which the council administers financial accounts, regardless of whether created under H.C.R. 43 or by other means, and for which the council provides administra ve support. Chapter 1 covers budget submission and approval and account administra on issues. Chapter 2 covers staffing issues and contracts. Chapter 3 covers administra ve support, including the handling of telephones, supplies and purchasing, duplica on and prin ng, mail and messenger service, and travel. Chapter 4 covers issues rela ng to commi ee proceedings, including mee ngs and the commi ee’s final report. The final sec on contains examples of forms used in commi ee account administra on. 1 Chapter 1 Budget and Account Administra on Budget Subject to availability of funds, each joint commi ee created by joint proclama on under the provisions of H.C.R. 43 is poten ally eligible for a funding alloca on from Texas Legisla ve Council appropria ons that have been reserved for joint study commi ees. Council funding is not available for a joint commi ee created by statute unless it is specified in the statute and funds for this purpose are appropriated to the council. Budget Proposal. Under the provisions of H.C.R. 43, the chair, or co-chairs ac ng jointly, of each joint commi ee seeking funding must submit a proposal for budget and staffing to the lieutenant governor and speaker within four weeks of the crea on of the commi ee. The proposal must be submi ed on the Joint Select Commi ee Budget and Staffing Form, which is discussed in detail below. Certain staff support and other services are available at no charge to the commi ee. The budget request should include only those services for which the commi ee will incur a charge. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 2 for more informa on on staffing and contract issues and Chapter 3 for more informa on on administra ve and support services. Budget and Staffing Form. The Joint Select Commi ee Budget and Staffing Form must be used to submit a proposed commi ee budget. Item 1-Salaries. Under Item 1 on the budget form, list a total amount for all salaried commi ee staff proposed to be placed on the Texas Legisla ve Council payroll and paid from the council funds reserved for joint study commi ees. A corresponding Item 1 on the second page of the form provides space to itemize the staff and salaries included in this total. Under the terms of H.C.R. 43, joint commi ees must use, to the greatest extent possible, exis ng legisla ve staff resources, and the budget request should not include staff on senate, house, or other legisla ve agency payrolls who are being used by the commi ee. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 2 for more informa on on staffing restric ons, requirements, and procedures. Item 2-Contracts. Item 2 should include any staff, consultants, or expert witnesses whose services are proposed to be provided under contract. A corresponding Item 2 on the second page of the form provides space to describe the staff, consultant, and expert witness expenditures included in this total. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 2 for more informa on on staffing and contract requirements and procedures. Item 3-Telephones. A joint commi ee headquartered with a senate, house, or other legisla ve office may choose to rely on exis ng telephone lines and equipment. Incremental costs will be absorbed by the office, as charges incurred by the commi ee cannot be segregated. A commi ee an cipa ng heavy telephone use may wish instead to seek approval for a separate installa on. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 3, Telephones, for more informa on. Item 4-Supplies and Purchasing. In order for rou ne office supplies and other purchases to be reimbursable from the commi ee’s budget and treated as a commitment of state funds, joint 3 commi ees must make such purchases through the Texas Legisla ve Council. A commi ee may not independently obtain supplies or services or make purchases from outside or unauthorized sources. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 3, Supplies and Purchasing, for more informa on. Item 5-Photocopying and DuplicaƟon. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 3, Photocopying, Duplica on, and Prin ng, for more informa on. Item 6-PrinƟng of Final Report. A commi ee may have its final report printed by a legisla ve resource, such as the council print shop, Senate Publica ons and Prin ng, or House Reproduc on, or by a nonlegisla ve resource, which will require solici ng bids for compe ve pricing. Item 6 contains spaces to indicate whether the chair or co-chairs intend to have the report printed by the Texas Legisla ve Council or elsewhere. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 3, Photocopying, Duplica on, and Prin ng, for more informa on. Item 7-Mailings. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 3, Mail and Messengers, for more informa on. Item 8-Travel Reimbursement. Travel expenses should include travel reimbursement for senate, house, and ci zen members who are appointed by the lieutenant governor or speaker and for staff whose salaries are included within the commi ee’s approved budget. Other state employees or officials who travel with a joint commi ee are eligible for travel reimbursement by their employers under provisions of the General Appropria ons Act. Ci zen members appointed to a commi ee by the governor are reimbursed by the governor’s office under H.C.R. 43. Ci zen members of subcommi ees or advisory panels, if not also members of the full commi ee, are ineligible for travel reimbursement. Legislators serving on subcommi ees or advisory panels are en tled to travel reimbursement regardless of their membership on the full commi ee. The commi ee reimburses the senate and house of representa ves for this expense only if the approved budget includes funds for this purpose. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 3, Travel, for more informa on on travel reimbursement eligibility, budgetary responsibility, and reimbursement rates. Item 9-Special Outlays. When necessary to meet sound system needs and comply with taping requirements, a commi ee may need to rent a site for a mee ng held outside Aus n. Item 9 should be used to budget for this purpose. Other expenses that would be included in Item 9 are books and other publica ons, furniture, and equipment. Before developing a budget proposal, read Chapter 3, Special Outlays, for more informa on on mee ng sites outside Aus n. Item 10-Authority to Approve Expenditures. The commi ee is asked in Item 10 to designate one or two individuals authorized to approve expenditures. This may be the chair, one or both co-chairs, an aide from the senate or house, or another commi ee staff person. The designee or designees are responsible for signing contracts, purchase requisi ons, travel vouchers, and other forms authorizing expenditures from the commi ee’s budget. In the absence of commi ee rules to the contrary, approval must be provided by the chair or co-chairs if no one is designated to approve expenses. Signatures. The completed form must be signed at the bo om of the first page by the chair or both co-chairs. The lieutenant governor and the speaker must review and approve the budget. A space for their signatures is provided at the bo om of the form. 4 Page 2-Budget Detail. As noted above, Items 1 and 2 on page two of the form provide space for more detailed informa on on the proposed salaries and contracts. Item 3 provides space for any other clarifica ons or jus fica ons regarding the budget and staffing proposal. Submission and Approval. Copies of the completed form must be submi ed, together with any supplemental informa on that the chair or co-chairs may wish to add, to the lieutenant governor, the speaker, and the execu ve director of the Texas Legisla ve Council. Page two of the form contains space for clarifica ons regarding the budget request. Alterna vely, the commi ee may a ach a le er or memorandum. If a joint commi ee con nues through more than one fiscal year, a new budget must be submi ed for each fiscal year. Account Administra on On receipt of an approved joint commi ee budget, the Texas Legisla ve Council’s accoun ng office will establish an account from which expenditures for salaries, contracts, administra on, and travel are to be made. No expenses will be processed un l an approved budget is received in the accoun ng office. The commi ee chair or co-chairs are responsible for the exercise of fiscal control to ensure that commi ee spending is in accordance with the approved budget. The accoun ng office will issue monthly reports comparing cumula ve expenditures to the joint commi ee’s budget. These reports can be an cipated between the 10th and 20th day of each month and will be current as of the last day of the preceding month, assuming travel voucher submissions are mely. The Directory of Administra ve Support at the end of Chapter 3 lists the administra ve services related to personnel on the council payroll, the source of each service, and contact informa on for each source. Gi s, Grants, and Dona ons A joint commi ee created pursuant to resolu on, including a joint commi ee created under H.C.R. 43, may accept gi s, grants, and dona ons to fund or support commi ee ac vi es. State law requires acceptance by a majority of the vo ng members of the commi ee in an open mee ng (Sec on 301.032, Government Code). Acceptance must be recorded in the minutes, which must include the name of the donor and the purpose of the gi , grant, or dona on. A commi ee may confer with the Texas Legisla ve Council’s legal division to determine whether an offering falls within a category to which the statute applies. A monetary gi , grant, or dona on is to be forwarded to the council’s accoun ng office, together with a signed copy of the minutes from the mee ng at which acceptance occurred. The money will be combined with other council funds, and the accoun ng office will be responsible for keeping the commi ee informed of amounts spent and encumbered and for ensuring that expenditures are in keeping with the purpose of the contribu on as reflected in the minutes. Any por on of a monetary gi , grant, or dona on remaining unused and unencumbered a er a commi ee’s expira on will be transferred in equal propor ons to the accounts of the senate and house of representa ves unless otherwise provided by the grantor or donor. 5 Chapter 2 Commi ee Staffing and Contracts Commi ee Staffing Using Exis ng Staff Resources. Under the terms of H.C.R. 43, joint commi ees must use, to the greatest extent possible, exis ng staff and administra ve resources of commi ee members, standing commi ees, officers of the senate and house, and legisla ve service agencies. Use of such staff has no impact on the commi ee budget as long as the staff remain on the same legisla ve office payroll. Employers of such staff may wish to formalize an agreement on the nature, terms, and condi ons of such support. The following legisla ve agencies and offices may be valuable resources for the commi ee: • Texas Legisla ve Council Research Division. The research division can provide research support, dra ing of policy resolu ons, assistance in wri ng the commi ee’s report, prepara on of sta s cal data and analysis, and prepara on of maps for analysis or presenta on. Requests for assistance from the research division should be made to the research division director. • Texas Legisla ve Council Legal Division. The legal division can provide dra ing of proposed legisla on, legal research, and limited legal counsel. Inquiries about legal staff assistance should be directed to the legal division director. • Legisla ve Reference Library. The Legisla ve Reference Library houses copies of legisla on and reports, books, periodicals, and newspaper clippings rela ng to state government issues. The collec on includes material from other states and is valuable as a source of background informa on relevant to a commi ee’s assigned study topic. Library staff are available to assist with research and loca ng appropriate materials. • Senate Research Center. The Senate Research Center can provide research support and assistance in wri ng the commi ee’s report. • Senate Engrossing and Enrolling. Senate Engrossing and Enrolling can provide dra ing of proposed legisla on for the commi ee. • Legisla ve Budget Board. The Legisla ve Budget Board some mes assists commi ees whose assignments relate to state finance. The board’s primary responsibility is to prepare the general appropria ons bill that is introduced each regular session. The board also conducts performance reviews of state agencies and ins tu ons. • Sunset Advisory Commission. The Sunset Advisory Commission reports and staff are useful sources of informa on about state government organiza on and individual agencies. Each interim, the commission evaluates a number of state agencies scheduled for automa c termina on unless renewed by law in the next legisla ve session. • State Auditor’s Office. The State Auditor’s Office performs financial, compliance, efficiency, and effec veness audits of state agencies and ins tu ons. It may also conduct special audits or inves ga ons of specific alleged problems. The auditor’s personnel classifica on division assists in developing posi on lis ngs and salary schedules used in the general appropria ons bill. • House Research Organiza on. The House Research Organiza on publishes research reports examining state issues and analyzing proposed legisla on. 7 The following Directory of Staff Resources and Support provides informa on on the services available from each source and contact informa on for each source. Directory of Staff Resources and Support Service Research (sta s cal and general policy) Mapping and geographic analysis Policy resolu on dra ing Research Research Legal dra ing, counsel, research Budget, performance review, state finance informa on Sunset and state agency informa on Audit and accountability informa on Reports on state issues Source Contact Informa on TLC Research Division Patricia McLeod Tammy Edgerly Pamela Lam-Yip Clare Dyer Senate Research Center Gina Mar n Legisla ve Reference Library Mary Camp TLC Legal Division Deborah Fulton Senate Engrossing and Enrolling Pa ence Worrell Legisla ve Budget Board (512) 463-1143 Sunset Advisory Commission (512) 463-1300 State Auditor’s Office Kelly Linder (512) 936-9500 House Research Organiza on Tom Howe (512) 463-0752 (512) 463-0087 (512) 463-1252 (512) 463-1155 (512) 463-0321 (512) 463-1200 Budgeted Staff A commi ee budget may include salaried or contract staff. Salaried staff included in the commi ee budget are placed on the Texas Legisla ve Council payroll and paid from council funds reserved for the commi ee. Considera ons for Staff on Council Payroll. If a joint commi ee wishes to propose staff placement on or transfer to the council payroll for the dura on of a study, such prospec ve council employees should be aware of applicable council employment policies. Restric ons on Poli cal Ac vi es. The council, as a nonpar san service agency, prohibits employees from: • taking an ac ve part in poli cal campaigns • taking part in poli cal funds management 8 Restric ons on Vaca on, Sick, and Compensatory Leave. Other restric ons relate to employee benefits: • Vaca on and Sick Leave. Council employees accrue vaca on and sick leave but may forfeit leave if they transfer to certain senate or house payrolls on expira on of the commi ee. Accumulated vaca on and sick leave can be transferred if an employee separates from employment and is reemployed within 30 calendar days by a state agency to a posi on that accrues leave. If a 30-day break occurs, a transferring or termina ng employee may be paid a lump sum for unused vaca on leave if the employee has six months’ con nuous state employment and if sufficient funds remain in the commi ee’s budget for that purpose. • Compensatory Leave. Accumulated compensatory reimbursed monetarily. me cannot be transferred or Time Sheet Requirement. A commi ee employee paid by the council must fill out a council Monthly Time Report each month, have it signed by the commi ee’s designee for expenditure approval, and forward it to the council’s human resources department. Advance Approval for Travel on Commi ee Business. A commi ee employee paid by the council must always obtain advance approval for travel. See Chapter 3, Travel, for more informa on. Ques ons rela ng to council employment should be addressed to the council’s human resources department. Procedure for Placing Staff on Council Payroll. Hiring or placement of commi ee staff on the council’s payroll requires comple on of a council Personnel Ac on Form, or PAF. The completed PAF, signed by the commi ee’s designee for expenditure approval, must be submi ed to the human resources department for processing. All joint commi ee PAFs are subject to approval by the Texas Legisla ve Council execu ve director. When an employee joins the council, the human resources department will provide a new employee orienta on explaining the documents needed for adding the employee to the council’s payroll. The Directory of Administra ve Support at the end of Chapter 3 lists the administra ve services related to personnel on the council payroll, the source of each service, and contact informa on for each source. Procedure for Removing Staff from Council Payroll. When the commi ee budget expires, the council execu ve director will execute PAFs removing from the council payroll any commi ee staff for whom PAFs have not previously been ini ated by the co-chairs’ designee. If the co-chairs wish to con nue to employ such staff, they have un l the next state payroll deadline (around the 20th of the month) to obtain approval for a new budget or to execute paperwork transferring the staff to a senate or house payroll. Contract Staff, Consultants, and Expert Witnesses Paperwork rela ng to contract staff, consultants, and expert witnesses will be prepared by the council’s legal division and accoun ng office in conjunc on with the commi ee and will be forwarded to the commi ee designee for signature. All joint commi ee consul ng contracts are subject to approval by the Texas Legisla ve Council execu ve director. 9 Consul ng contracts with engineers, accountants, architects, physicians, and other specified professionals are governed by the Professional Services Procurement Act (Subchapter A, Chapter 2254, Government Code), which provides for the award of contracts without compe ve bidding on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualifica ons and for a fair and reasonable price. The Directory of Administra ve Support at the end of Chapter 3 lists the administra ve services related to contracts, the source of each service, and contact informa on for each source. 10 Chapter 3 Administra ve Support This chapter covers administra ve support, including telephone service; supplies and purchasing support; photocopying, duplica on, and prin ng services; mail and messenger service; and travel support. The Directory of Administra ve Support at the end of this chapter lists services related to each of these support items, the source of each service, and contact informa on for each source. Telephones A joint commi ee headquartered with a senate, house, or other legisla ve office may choose to rely on exis ng telephone lines and equipment. Incremental costs will be absorbed by the office, as charges incurred by the commi ee cannot be segregated. A commi ee an cipa ng heavy telephone use may wish to seek approval for a separate installa on. Item 3 on the Joint Select Commi ee Budget and Staffing Form is the appropriate place to request such funding. If the joint commi ee is approved for a separate installa on, it must be requested through Senate Support Services or House Business Opera ons. Legisla ve offices are served by the Capitol Complex Telephone System (CCTS) for calls within the Capitol Complex and by the AT&T network for other calls in Aus n and for long-distance calls. The Department of Informa on Resources offers CCTS hookups, provides access to local Aus n telephone service, and sells and installs telephone units. Joint commi ees are limited to these services. Telephones or telephone services ordered directly from the private sector are not reimbursable, and no state funds may be encumbered for their use. Supplies and Purchasing A joint commi ee may choose to use the supplies of the member or commi ee office in which the commi ee is headquartered. To use funds from the commi ee budget for supplies and special purchases, joint commi ees must obtain the items through the Texas Legisla ve Council. A commi ee may not independently obtain supplies or services or make purchases from outside or unauthorized sources. Such expenditures are not reimbursable and will not be treated as a commitment of state funds. TIBH Industries operates a supply store for state governmental en es. The Texas Legisla ve Council obtains supplies from that store and other sources and stocks rou ne office supplies. Sta onery and business cards are printed by the council’s print shop. All other procurement occurs through special purchases. Rou ne Supplies. To obtain paper, other rou ne office supplies, or recording media (CDs, etc.) for mee ngs, a joint commi ee must submit a list of the items desired to the accoun ng office, indica ng the commi ee to which they are to be charged. Special Purchases. To obtain an item not available through the council supply store, including special outlays such as furniture, books, and publica ons, a joint commi ee must contact the council’s senior purchaser, and the council will obtain the item as a special purchase. On delivery, the commi ee must complete the TLC Receiving Report included with the supply delivery and return it to the accoun ng office. 11 Photocopying, Duplica on, and Prin ng Council Services. The Texas Legisla ve Council provides copy services through copiers in the REJ Building (for staff housed in the REJ) and through house document distribu on. Charges for duplica ng jobs of intermediate size are assessed against the commi ee budget. To request a large job requiring the use of the council print shop, contact the document produc on division director. Materials costs for such jobs are charged against the commi ee budget, so a commi ee should contact the council’s accoun ng office about any job that will have a cost. Other Resources. The commi ee also has the op on to use senate or house duplica ng or prin ng facili es. The senate or house may charge joint commi ees for some or all duplica ng and prin ng services or may offer those services for free. If the senate or house charges for services, it may confer with the council’s accoun ng office and provide for interagency billing of charges according to a mutually agreeable schedule. The Directory of Administra ve Support at the end of this chapter lists council, senate, and house facili es and the types of duplica ng and prin ng services they offer. Photocopying Library Materials. Texas Legisla ve Council employees have checkout privileges at the Legisla ve Reference Library, Texas State Library, and State Law Library. They also may apply for a courtesy borrower’s card for The University of Texas library system through the circula on desk of the Perry-Castañeda Library ((512) 495-4350). If materials at the Legisla ve Reference Library cannot be checked out, the library staff may make copies. The library will bill the cost of the copies to the commi ee. Senate, house, and legisla ve agency staff who are assis ng a commi ee should inform the librarian if copies are for a joint commi ee rather than for their usual employers. Use of the coin-operated Legisla ve Reference Library copier is not a reimbursable expense. If materials at the Texas State Library or State Law Library cannot be checked out, consult the reference librarian regarding duplica on and fees. Final Commi ee Report. A commi ee may have the final report printed by a legisla ve resource, such as the council print shop, Senate Publica ons and Prin ng, or House Reproduc on, or by a nonlegisla ve resource. Item 6 on the Joint Select Commi ee Budget and Staffing Form, regarding prin ng of the final report, contains blanks to indicate whether the chair or cochairs intend to have the report printed by the Texas Legisla ve Council or another source. If intending to use a nonlegisla ve source, a commi ee should contact the council’s purchasing office, which will solicit bids for compe ve pricing. Mail and Messengers Incoming Mail. For incoming mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, a joint commi ee may use the same address as the senate, the house, or a legisla ve agency, depending on where the commi ee and its staff are headquartered. A centralized address may be preferable for coordina on if the staff is dispersed among several loca ons. A joint commi ee may not rent its own post office box. Outgoing Mail. Outgoing postal mail should include a commi ee return address to establish that it is official state business and to enable the Texas Legisla ve Council to assess postage charges. The council is responsible for metering and sending outgoing commi ee mail and charging postage to the commi ee budget. A commi ee may call the council’s accoun ng office for pickup or may bring the mail to the REJ Building, Plaza Level. 12 Interagency Mail. State law generally prohibits use of the U.S. Postal Service for mail that can be delivered within Travis County by interagency or interoffice means (Sec ons 2176.051 and 2176.052, Government Code). The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts operates an interagency mail system free of cost to joint commi ees. It covers most state agency and University of Texas loca ons in Aus n. To send interagency mail, commi ee staff must indicate the recipient and the street or building address and mark the envelope or package “Interagency Mail” in the upper right corner. The senate mail staff pick up outgoing interagency mail from senate offices, and Texas Legisla ve Council messengers pick up such mail from council offices. Outgoing interagency mail from house offices must be taken to the house post office. Messengers. Faster service is available within the Capitol Complex, where legisla ve messengers make direct interoffice deliveries. Joint commi ee staff housed in senate or house offices served by the senate or house sergeant-at-arms use the sergeant’s messengers for interoffice mail. Commi ee staff housed with the Texas Legisla ve Council use council messenger services. Overnight or Express Mail. To arrange for overnight or express mail, contact the council’s accoun ng office. Council mail staff will fill out associated paperwork and bill the joint commi ee. They will need the name, street or building address, and telephone number of both the commi ee and the recipient. Federal Express packages can go out as late as 3:30 p.m. Overnight or express items sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be ready by 2 p.m. The Texas Office of State-Federal Rela ons offers courtesy overnight pouch service to and from Washington, D.C., every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, primarily for communica ons with Texas congressional offices. Mail for this purpose must be delivered to Room 2.100 of the State Insurance Building by 4:30 p.m. on those days. Travel Eligibility and Budgetary Responsibility for Travel Expense Reimbursement. Joint commi ee members and staff may be eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses incurred for a ending mee ngs or for other commi ee-related business. Eligibility and the source of reimbursement will depend on several criteria, including terms specified in H.C.R. 43 and in state law. • Senate, House, and Ci zen Members Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor or Speaker. Senate, house, and ci zen members who are appointed by the lieutenant governor or speaker are eligible for reimbursement for such travel expenses from the commi ee’s budget with the Texas Legisla ve Council. • Salaried Staff in the Commi ee’s Budget. Staff whose salaries are included in the commi ee’s budget are eligible for reimbursement for such travel expenses from the commi ee’s budget with the Texas Legisla ve Council. • Ci zen Members Appointed by the Governor. Ci zen members appointed to a joint commi ee by the governor are eligible for travel reimbursement by the governor’s office under H.C.R. 43 and should contact the governor’s appointments office for applicable travel policies and instruc ons. • Other State Employees or Officials. Other state employees or officials who travel with a joint commi ee, including council employees not included in the commi ee budget, are eligible for travel reimbursement by their employers under provisions of the General Appropria ons Act. They are subject to the applicable senate, house, or agency travel 13 policies that apply to other state government travel and should contact their employing agency or en ty for informa on on those policies and procedures. • Members of Subcommi ees or Advisory Panels. Reimbursement will depend on several criteria: o Ci zen members of any subcommi ees or advisory panels appointed by the chair or co-chairs, if they are also members of the full commi ee, are en tled to reimbursement for associated travel from the commi ee’s budget with the council or the governor’s office, as applicable. o Ci zen members of subcommi ees or advisory panels, if not also members of the full commi ee, are ineligible for travel reimbursement. o Legislators serving on subcommi ees or advisory panels are en tled to travel reimbursement from the senate or house of representa ves, as applicable, regardless of their membership on the full commi ee. The commi ee reimburses the senate or house for this expense if the approved commi ee budget includes funds for this purpose. • Subpoenaed Witnesses. Witnesses subpoenaed by the commi ee are en tled to travel reimbursement from the commi ee budget with the Texas Legisla ve Council. Reimbursement is at the same rates and under the same policies and procedures as council employees. Advance Approval of Travel. Whether advance approval of travel expenses is required for reimbursement will depend on the status of the individual seeking reimbursement and the nature of the expense. • Legislators and Ci zen Members. Neither legislators nor ci zen-member appointees of the lieutenant governor or speaker normally require chair, co-chair, or Texas Legisla ve Council advance approval for travel associated with a commi ee mee ng. • Salaried Staff. Travel by salaried staff in the commi ee’s budget always requires advance approval. • Rental Car or Travel Outside Texas. Advance approval is required for travel involving a rental car or travel outside Texas. • Travel Unassociated with a Full Commi ee Mee ng. Advance approval is required for travel unassociated with a commi ee mee ng (e.g., conference a endance or separate subcommi ee or advisory panel mee ngs) unless the chair or co-chairs waive this requirement by wri en no ce to the council’s accoun ng office. The council Advance Travel/Registra on Request Form requires an es mate of transporta on costs and any conference registra on fees. The prospec ve traveler must forward to the council’s accoun ng office a completed form signed by the commi ee chair, a co-chair, or an individual designated for expenditure approval. For council employees loaned to the commi ee or asked to travel to assist the commi ee, the appropriate division director’s signature subs tutes for that of the commi ee designee. Execu ve director approval is required for council funds, rather than commi ee funds, to cover council employee travel on commi ee business. The completed and signed form may be delivered to the council’s accoun ng office in the REJ Building or mailed to the Texas Legisla ve Council, Accoun ng Office, P.O. Box 12128, Aus n, Texas 78711-2128. 14 Reserva ons, Discounts, and Direct Billing. • Senate members traveling on joint commi ee business may make reserva ons, obtain discounts, and use their corporate travel cards in the same manner as for other legisla ve travel. • House members traveling on joint commi ee business should follow the same reserva on and direct billing procedures as are applicable to other house member travel. • Ci zen members of joint commi ees should consult with the council’s accoun ng department regarding state law imposing limita ons on reimbursements before making reserva ons. • Staff on the council payroll traveling on joint commi ee business can schedule airline reserva ons, rental car reserva ons, and hotel lodging reserva ons through the state’s contracted travel agency. Use of this travel agency gives the council access to cheaper airfares, discount car rental rates, and state government hotel rates and enables it to directly bill some of the costs (airfare and car rental) to the council rather than having the employee pay out of pocket. The council has discount and direct billing car rental arrangements with Enterprise. For informa on on hotels offering state government rates or for assistance, contact the council’s accoun ng office. When making an airline reserva on for an employee, the travel agency will bill the council directly for the airfare. Rental car costs can be directly billed to the council as well. Hotel costs are not billed directly to the council but are paid by the employee and reimbursed. Informa on on hotel discounts and direct billing is available from the council accoun ng office. Allowable Reimbursements. This sec on should be read carefully before commi ee members and staff make reserva ons or incur travel expenses. Table 1 summarizes miscellaneous travel expenses that are reimbursable. The table also indicates which receipts and expense itemiza ons are necessary for repayment purposes. Travel expense and reimbursement ques ons should be directed to the council’s accoun ng office. Transporta on Expenses. Reimbursement for transporta on expenses rela ng to commi ee travel is based on H.C.R. 43, if applicable, and the General Appropria ons Act enacted by the 83rd Legislature. Each fiscal year, the comptroller’s office publishes travel reimbursement rates on its website. In addi on to automobile mileage rates for legislators and state employees, rates for personally owned or leased aircra are listed. Travel by commercial airline is reimbursable at cost, with the restric on that the traveler must fly at the lowest available coach airfare unless only first class is available. Travel by rental car, taxi, shu le, or mass transit is also reimbursable at cost. Meals and Lodging Expenses. Legislators and ci zen members traveling on joint commi ee business are reimbursed for meals and lodging at rates established by the lieutenant governor and speaker, consistent with the General Appropria ons Act. Meal reimbursements apply only when an overnight stay is required. Nonreimbursable Food and Beverage Expenses. An a orney general’s opinion rules out payment from state funds for coffee or refreshments consumed by members or staff during a commi ee mee ng (Op. Tex. A ’y Gen. No. C-557 (1965)). The General Appropria ons Act expressly prohibits the expenditure of state funds for alcoholic beverages, and ps are not reimbursable. Tips and charges for alcohol consequently must be subtracted from one’s tab when calcula ng meal expenses. 15 Prohibi on Against Group Billing and Reimbursement for Meals. Restric ons under the General Appropria ons Act prohibit group billing and reimbursement for group meals held in conjunc on with commi ee mee ngs. Par cipants in group dinners, lunches, or breakfasts must be billed individually to obtain state reimbursement. Restaurants or caterers should be advised of this policy if a group meal is arranged or scheduled. Obtaining Reimbursement. Joint commi ee travelers should use receipts and expense itemiza ons to fill out travel expense forms for reimbursement. • Employees on the council payroll use the council Employee Travel Expense Informa on Sheet, available from the council’s accoun ng office. • Ci zen members use the commi ee Travel Expense Informa on Sheet, available from the council’s accoun ng office. Ci zen members should include in the blank space on the back of the form a descrip on of du es performed or mee ngs a ended, giving dates and loca ons. • Senate and house members should follow the travel procedures of their respec ve chambers. If funds for that purpose are available in the commi ee budget, the council will reimburse the chamber through an interagency payment voucher. The claimant’s social security number is required on the form; it is essen al for processing reimbursement. All original receipts must be a ached, as summarized in Table 1. The form must include the signature of the commi ee chair, co-chair, or individual designated for expenditure approval. The completed form may be delivered to the council’s accoun ng office or mailed to the Texas Legisla ve Council, Accoun ng Office, P.O. Box 12128, Aus n, Texas 78711-2128. From the informa on provided by the claimant, the accoun ng office fills out a travel voucher and sends it to the claimant for verifica on and signature. The claimant returns the signed voucher to the accoun ng office for processing. Special Outlays Mee ng Sites Outside Aus n. A commi ee is advised to solicit assistance from local legislators or to obtain from the senate commi ee coordinator a list of preferred mee ng sites that accommodate sound system, recording, and other needs of commi ee mee ngs without cost to the commi ee. When necessary to meet sound system needs and comply with audio recording requirements, a commi ee may, if funds are available in its budget, rent a mee ng site. See Chapter 4, Electronic Recording, for more informa on on these requirements. Item 9 on the Joint Select Commi ee Budget and Staffing Form provides a space for reques ng special outlays for this purpose. The chair or co-chairs may pay the rental expense and submit a receipt with the travel voucher or may ini ate council prepayment of the expense by contac ng the council’s accoun ng office. Other. Contact the council accoun ng office for informa on about other special outlays, such as furniture, equipment, and books. See Supplies and Purchasing, Special Purchases, for more informa on about obtaining such outlays. 16 17 Yes Yes Yes Yes Not Applicable Yes Yes Yes Not Applicable Yes Yes/1 No/2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Keep Receipts Yes Yes Reimbursable Determined by odometer or by a readily available online mapping service. Must be itemized on a daily basis. Main rental receipt must itemize. Must retain original cket. Commi ee-related charges are reimbursable. Comments/Other Recordkeeping Requirements Parking Yes Yes Gasoline No Not Applicable Mileage reimbursement covers this expense. Repairs or Maintenance No Not Applicable Mileage reimbursement covers this expense. Tolls No Not Applicable Mileage reimbursement covers this expense. Taxi, Shu le, Transit: Fare (less than $10) Yes No Must be itemized by trip, with fare and des na on. Fare ($10 or more) Yes Yes Must itemize each des na on. Tips No Not Applicable Lodging: Room Rate (Legislators) Yes* No Room Rate (Ci zen Members/Staff) Yes* Yes Hotel Occupancy Taxes Yes Yes Hotel receipt must itemize. Cleaning or Laundry No Not Applicable Personal Expenses or Entertainment No Not Applicable Examples: personal phone calls, movie rentals. Meals (Individually Billed Only): Food and Drink (Nonalcoholic) Yes* No Must be itemized by meal. Alcohol No Not Applicable Tips No Not Applicable Mee ngs: Mee ng Site Rentals Yes/3 Yes Reimbursable if funded in commi ee budget. Coffee or Refreshments No Not Applicable Other: Conference Registra on Yes Yes Phone Calls (Commi ee Business) Yes Yes Must be itemized on a daily basis. Photocopies (Commi ee Business) Yes Yes Must be itemized on a daily basis. Postage (Commi ee Business) Yes Yes Must be itemized on a daily basis. Freight (Commi ee Materials) Yes Yes Must be itemized on a daily basis. 1/ This expense may be unnecessary. Rental car companies with which the state has contracts provide CDW coverage automa cally. Other companies may also provide coverage, depending on separate contracts with the legisla ve branch. 2/ Liability insurance supplements, safe trip insurance, personal accident insurance, or personal effects insurance. 3/ Purchase requisi on must be processed through the council’s accoun ng office. * Pursuant to H.C.R. 43, reimbursement rates for rooms and meals will be determined by the lieutenant governor and speaker in accordance with the General Appropria ons Act. Commercial Air: Airfare Excess Baggage Charges (Business) Rental Car: Rental Fee and Taxes Collision Damage Waiver Insurance Other Insurance Surcharges Gasoline Parking Tolls Personal Car: Mileage Table 1 Travel Expenses, Receipts, and Recordkeeping Directory of Administra ve Support Service Source Budget and Account Administra on Budget approval Lieutenant Governor John Opperman Speaker of the House Andrew Blifford Budget forms TLC Accoun ng Account administra on Mat Richardson Contract administra on Gi s, grants, dona ons administra on Gi s, grants, dona ons TLC Legal Division acceptance counsel Deborah Fulton Contract prepara on or TLC general counsel review Jon Heining Contract approval TLC execu ve director or designee Debbie Irvine Personnel on Council Payroll Personnel ac on forms TLC Human Resources (PAFs) Kimberly Shields New employee orienta on Monthly me report forms Personnel ques ons (leave, benefits, payroll, etc.) Hiring (PAF) approval TLC execu ve director or designee Debbie Irvine Telephone Requests for separate Senate Support Services Sam Hankins telephone installa ons House Business Opera ons Donna Wessner Supplies and Purchasing Rou ne office supplies TLC Purchasing Craig O’Brien Receiving report forms CDs or other recording media for mee ngs Purchases (other than rou ne supplies) Sta onery and business cards TLC Print Shop Janet Sullivan 18 Contact Informa on (512) 463-3860 (512) 463-1000 Plaza Level, REJ Building (512) 463-1155 2nd floor, REJ Building (512) 463-1155 3rd floor, REJ Building (512) 463-1151 3rd floor, REJ Building (512) 463-1151 Plaza Level, REJ Building (512) 463-1155 3rd Floor, REJ Building (512) 463-1151 (512) 463-0333 (512) 463-0835 Plaza Level, REJ Building (512) 463-1155 tlcpurchasing@tlc.state.tx.us (512) 463-1155 Prin ng and Duplica ng Small jobs -staff housed in REJ Small jobs -staff housed in other buildings Intermediate jobs Large print jobs, including final commi ee report Mail Services Outgoing mail pickup and metering Overnight or express mail processing Texas Legisla ve Council various loca ons in the REJ Building House Document Distribu on Room B.324, REJ Building (512) 463-1144 Senate Purchasing (prin ng); various loca ons, (512) 463-0222; Room 175, Senate Staff Services (audio Sam Houston Building, and copies) (512) 463-0430 House Business Office various loca ons, (512) 463-0835 House Document Distribu on Room B.324, REJ Building (512) 463-1144 Senate Staff Services Room 175, Sam Houston Building (512) 463-0430 House Reproduc on Room G.20, JHR Building (512) 463-0885 TLC Document Produc on (512) 463-1155 Division Janet Sullivan Senate Publica ons and Room B.407, REJ Building Prin ng (512) 463-0080 Mike Campbell House Reproduc on Room G.20, JHR Building Sco Williams (512) 463-0885 TLC mail staff Jannice Smith House Post Office Vernon Green Senate Post Office Joe Calvo TLC mail staff 19 Plaza Level, REJ Building (512) 463-1155 Room E1.206, Capitol Extension (512) 463-0905 Room E1.702, Capitol Extension (512) 463-0303 Plaza Level, REJ Building (512) 463-1155 Travel Advance travel request forms Travel allowance guide Travel expense ques ons Hotel discount informa on Rental car direct billing Mee ng site direct billing Travel voucher processing TLC Accoun ng Mat Richardson (commi ee staff, members appointed by lieutenant governor or speaker) Governor’s Appointments Office Mary Fraser (members appointed by governor) House Travel Denyce Deadrick (members of house not on full commi ee) Senate Travel Monica Par da (senators not on full commi ee) 20 Plaza Level, REJ Building (512) 463-1155 (512) 463-1828 Room 230, JHR Building (512) 463-0835 Room 2E.22, Capitol (512) 463-0773 Chapter 4 Commi ee Proceedings The proceedings of joint commi ees created by proclama on are subject to the provisions of H.C.R. 43. That resolu on confers all powers and du es provided generally to senate and house select commi ees under Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government Code, and the senate and house rules of procedure, unless the proclama on crea ng the joint commi ee modifies the commi ee’s powers and du es. Like all other legisla ve commi ees, a joint commi ee is also subject to the public informa on law (Chapter 552, Government Code) and certain other state laws. The chair, or the co-chairs ac ng by mutual agreement, has authority under H.C.R. 43 to create and appoint subcommi ees or advisory panels. Advance approval of the lieutenant governor and speaker is required for subcommi ees or panels containing members who are not also members of the full commi ee. It is the responsibility of the chair or co-chairs of the commi ee to determine procedural ma ers such as who has final approval of the no ce of a mee ng, and who on the commi ee’s staff will serve as commi ee clerk and handle the pos ng of no ce and other du es of the clerk. This individual must have access to the commi ee system of the senate or house in order to post no ce, file commi ee minutes, and perform other tasks. In most cases, the pos ng is done using the senate system. Two copies of each pos ng go to the Legisla ve Reference Library on comple on. Rules of Procedure. House and senate rules for commi ee procedures are similar, but not iden cal. H.C.R. 43 leaves the adop on of joint commi ee rules to the discre on of the commi ee, with excep ons as discussed below. Commi ee members and staff may consult with the senate and house parliamentarians if procedural ques ons arise. The chair or co-chairs of a commi ee, including a ci zen member, may wish to do so at the outset of the commi ee’s forma on. The Directory of Commi ee Proceedings Support at the end of this chapter lists sources and contact informa on for assistance in planning, scheduling, and conduc ng the commi ee’s business. Appointment of Subcommi ees or Affiliated Advisory Panels. The joint commi ee chair, or the co-chairs ac ng by mutual agreement, has authority to create subcommi ees or affiliated advisory panels and to designate chairs for each. Advance approval of the presiding officers of the senate and house is required for the appointment of subcommi ees or panels with members who are external to the commi ee. Mee ngs and Hearings Open Mee ngs. All mee ngs of a joint commi ee must be open to the public in accordance with the rules of the two houses of the legislature. H.C.R. 43 makes no specific men on of the procedures to be used by a joint commi ee when conduc ng a mee ng. Rule 4, Sec on 12, House Rules, states the general rule that almost all house commi ee mee ngs are open. That rule provides: 21 All mee ngs of a commi ee or subcommi ee, including a calendars commi ee, shall be open to other members, the press, and the public unless specifically provided otherwise by resolu on adopted by the house. . . . Rule 4, Sec on 12, House Rules, also sets out a narrow set of circumstances in which a house commi ee may conduct a mee ng in execu ve session. While the Senate Rules contain no provision that is precisely parallel to Rule 4, Sec on 12, House Rules, it may be assumed that mee ngs will be open to the public except where those rules authorize an execu ve session. For example, Senate Rule 11.10 expressly requires that each commi ee give a public, 24-hour no ce of the me and place of a mee ng, while Senate Rule 11.07 requires the adop on of commi ee rules providing for news coverage of all mee ngs. Senate Rule 11.11 further requires that all mee ngs be recorded and available to the public. A joint commi ee that desires to conduct a closed mee ng or a mee ng in execu ve session should consult with the senate and house parliamentarians and legal counsel. Pos ng of No ce. No ce of a legisla ve commi ee mee ng is given in the manner provided by the house or senate rules (see Sec on 551.046, Government Code). H.C.R. 43 adopts a joint rule of the senate and house requiring that no ce of joint commi ee hearings or mee ngs be posted publicly at least five calendar days in advance. According to that rule, no ce is to be posted at the loca ons specified by the senate and house rules of procedure for pos ng of no ce of standing commi ee mee ngs. No ce for subcommi ee and advisory panel mee ngs is to be posted in the same manner as for commi ee mee ngs. Consult with the commi ee coordinators of the senate and house. Although publica on of commi ee mee ng no ces in the Texas Register is not required, commi ees may wish to make arrangements with the office of the secretary of state ((512) 463-5561) for publica on of no ce of mee ngs outside of Aus n. Mee ng Sites in Aus n. Senate and house mee ng rooms with various sea ng capaci es for commi ee members and an audience are available for commi ee use in the Capitol, Capitol Extension, and John H. Reagan (JHR) Building. Available rooms can be scheduled without charge to the commi ee by contac ng the senate or house commi ee coordinator. For special equipment needs, the senate or house commi ee coordinator should be no fied well in advance of the mee ng. Joint commi ees have the same access and privileges to senate and house mee ng rooms as senate and house standing or select commi ees, except during legisla ve sessions. Mee ng rooms are usually unlocked for commi ee members and staff before their arrival. If doors are locked or if the temperature of the room is uncomfortable, commi ee members should contact the house or senate commi ee coordinator. Food and Beverage Restric ons. When scheduling a mee ng room, a commi ee should check with the commi ee coordinator from the appropriate house for any applicable food or beverage restric ons. For house mee ng rooms, commi ee members may order coffee, cream, and sweetener from House Special Services and must pay for those items from personal funds. For senate mee ng rooms, the senate commi ee coordinator will arrange for coffee, cream, sweetener, and water. Assistance Services. The senate or house commi ee coordinator will contact an outside resource to arrange for sign language interpre ng services, the cost of which will be paid from the joint commi ee budget. All mee ng rooms in the Capitol, Capitol Extension, and JHR Building meet 22 the standards established by the federal Americans with Disabili es Act, and commi ees are encouraged to contact the senate or house commi ee coordinator at least 72 hours in advance if they have ques ons about available accommoda ons or if they need to arrange for a sign language interpreter. Personal assis ve listening devices are available for public use in the senate chamber and senate commi ee hearing rooms. The listening devices may be obtained from the secretary of the senate’s office, Room 2E.22, Capitol Building. For more informa on about obtaining a listening device, contact the senate commi ee coordinator. Mee ng Sites Outside Aus n. To iden fy mee ng sites outside Aus n, a commi ee is advised to solicit assistance from local legislators, especially those who serve on the commi ee, or to obtain from the senate commi ee coordinator a list of preferred mee ng sites that accommodate sound system, recording, and other needs of commi ee mee ngs without cost to the commi ee. When necessary to meet sound system needs and comply with audio recording requirements, a commi ee may, if funds are available in its budget, rent a mee ng site. Read Chapter 3, Special Outlays, for informa on about paying for a mee ng site. Electronic Recording. Senate rules require electronic recording of all mee ngs, while house rules require audio recordings of any tes mony. Commi ees are responsible for providing recording supplies for all mee ngs. These may be obtained, in the same manner as rou ne office supplies, from the Texas Legisla ve Council supply room, and will be charged against the joint commi ee budget. Senate Hearing Rooms. Senate Media Services will provide recording supplies for hearings that take place in a senate hearing room. Should an office in the house of representa ves or a state agency need copies of the recorded proceedings, a representa ve of the office or agency may contact Senate Staff Services at the conclusion of the hearing. A fee of $5 per audio recording will be assessed. Commi ee mee ng rooms in the Capitol, Capitol Extension, and JHR Building are fully equipped for sound and recording. A er reserving a senate hearing room, a commi ee representa ve should contact the senate commi ee coordinator for special equipment needs. The coordinator will arrange with Senate Media Services to record and monitor the mee ng electronically, operate the sound system, and set up requested special equipment. The senate commi ee coordinator or Senate Media Services should be contacted if sound levels during the mee ng are inadequate. House Mee ng Rooms. Commi ees using house mee ng rooms are responsible for their own audio recording, although they may request staff from the House Sergeant-At-Arms Office to oversee the recording. Commi ee staff should obtain advance instruc ons from the house commi ee coordinator in using house recording and sound systems. The house commi ee coordinator or House Video/Audio Services may be contacted regarding problems with audio recording or sound. For special equipment needs, the house commi ee coordinator should be no fied well in advance. Outside Aus n. A commi ee must make arrangements for audio recording, sound, and technical needs at mee ngs outside Aus n. See Mee ng Sites Outside Aus n, above, for more informa on. A er recording or assis ng in the recording of mee ngs, legisla ve staff should return the recordings to Senate Staff Services or House Video/Audio Services. 23 Public Recording and Access to Commi ee Recordings. Taping may be allowed at the discre on of the chair. The public is frequently interested in commi ee recordings of mee ngs or tes mony. A commi ee that receives a request to listen to a recording of a mee ng may arrange with House Video/Audio Services or Senate Staff Services to provide that opportunity. Either of those offices can also duplicate recordings on request for a charge of $5 for each tape or CD-R. Minutes. Senate and house rules require minutes of all mee ngs. Minutes should be prepared in the manner requested by the chair or co-chairs. House rules prescribe some ma ers of form, but senate rules do not. Three copies of the minutes go to the Legisla ve Reference Library, which is the official custodian for joint commi ee minutes. If the minutes reflect receipt of a gi , grant, or dona on, a fourth copy goes to the Texas Legisla ve Council’s accoun ng office. Tes mony. An open mee ng is open to public a endance but not necessarily to public tes mony. If a commi ee allows public tes mony, it may not discriminate unreasonably between witnesses or prospec ve witnesses. Within such parameters, the chair may set constraints on the number, length, and frequency of witness presenta ons. Witness Affirma on Form. Senate and house rules of procedure require that witnesses before legisla ve commi ees take an oath or file a sworn statement. Joint commi ees may sa sfy the requirement by oral or wri en means, or both. Joint commi ees should use a witness affirma on form that allows for witness sign-in and simultaneously sa sfies the oath requirement. Copies of a Witness Affirma on form may be obtained from the council’s house document distribu on office. Similar forms are available from the senate or house commi ee coordinator. Commi ee Subpoena Powers. H.C.R. 43 provides that a joint commi ee, by two-thirds record vote of members present and vo ng, a quorum being present, may issue process to compel the a endance of witnesses or to gain access to specified books, records, or documents. Commi ee subpoena powers are outlined in Sec ons 301.024–301.027, Government Code. The Texas Legisla ve Council’s legal division can assist in preparing the necessary legal papers and may, in addi on to senate, house, or joint commi ee legal counsel, be consulted on any ma ers rela ng to commi ee subpoenas. Wri en Tes mony. Many witnesses submit wri en copies of their tes mony or other material to support their presenta ons. Reten on of wri en copies of tes mony or other suppor ng materials is not required by house or senate rules or by the concurrent resolu on authorizing the appointment of joint commi ees. A joint commi ee, on compiling wri en submissions from a mee ng, may choose to forward an assembled copy of the submissions to the Legisla ve Reference Library. Published material may be omi ed at the commi ee’s discre on. Final Commi ee Report The final report of a joint commi ee must be approved by a majority of the vo ng membership of the commi ee. Dissen ng vo ng members may a ach statements to the report, subject to any limita ons specified in rules adopted by the commi ee. The table below lists previous legisla ve commi ee reports that serve as poten al models for the inclusion of dissen ng statements. 24 Table 2 Examples of Dissen ng Statements Commi ee Report (Year) House-Senate Joint Interim Commi ee on Child Support (1988) Select Commi ee on Tax Equity (1989) Joint Select Commi ee on State Guaranty Funds (1991) Joint Select Commi ee on Toxic Air Emissions and the Greenhouse Effect (1991) Joint Interim Commi ee on Proprietary Schools (1991) Legisla ve Reference Library Call Number L1836.70 C436 L1836.70 T199 L1836.71 G931 L1836.71 T667R L1836.71 P945R Page p. 36 Volume 1, pp. 81-85 p. 53 p. 22 Transmi al le er Required Copies. The number of final report copies is limited by the commi ee’s budget. From the total number of copies printed, four copies by law must be deposited with the State Publica ons Depository Program of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. In addi on, a joint commi ee should reserve three copies each for the Legisla ve Reference Library, the lieutenant governor, the speaker, and the governor. If the council prints the report, the council’s house document distribu on office will handle all required distribu on, including deposit with the State Publica ons Depository Program. If the report is printed elsewhere, the commi ee chair or co-chairs are responsible for distribu on. Distribu on and Availability of the Report. When the Texas Legisla ve Council prints a joint commi ee report, it will provide an electronic copy to the Legisla ve Reference Library and the State Publica ons Depository Program of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; a commi ee that prints its report outside the council should arrange for the libraries to have an electronic copy. The Legisla ve Reference Library will post the commi ee report on its website. The commi ee chair or co-chairs will be the custodians of hard copies of the report and may distribute copies, but may not charge for the copies they distribute. Sales of hard copies, if any, must be channeled through the Texas Legisla ve Council. The sales price shall be set by the council, and proceeds shall be returned to the council’s interim commi ee funds for reappropria on or other disposi on by the 84th Legislature. See Chapter 3, Prin ng of Final Report, for informa on on prin ng op ons. Disposi on of Commi ee Records The Legisla ve Reference Library is the official depository for joint commi ee documents, including minutes, witness affirma on forms and lists, wri en tes mony, and transcripts. Commi ee correspondence remains with the chair or co-chairs, and audio and video recordings are retained by the recording en ty, Senate Staff Services or House Video/Audio Services. Expira on of Commi ee A joint commi ee created under H.C.R. 43 expires on the day that the next legislature convenes, or an earlier date specified in the proclama on crea ng the commi ee. 25 Directory of Commi ee Proceedings Support Service Legal Issues Rules and other procedural ques ons Subpoena assistance Mee ng Services—General Blank tapes or CD-Rs Witness affirma on forms Access to recorded proceedings (listening opportuni es, copies) Mee ng Services—Aus n Post no ce Schedule mee ng room Schedule sign language interpreter services Unlock mee ng room Adjust room temperature Special equipment needs Personal assis ve listening devices (senate rooms only) Recording and monitoring of mee ng (senate rooms only) Assistance in overseeing recording (house rooms only) Source Contact Informa on Senate parliamentarian (512) 463-0248 House parliamentarian (512) 463-2003 TLC Legal Division Deborah Fulton (512) 463-1155 TLC Purchasing Craig O’Brien Plaza Level, REJ Building (512) 463-1155 or tlcpurchasing@tlc.state.tx.us (512) 463-1144 TLC House Document Distribu on Senate commi ee (512) 463-0070 coordinator Sco Caffey House commi ee coordinator (512) 463-0850 Stacey Nicchio Senate Staff Services (512) 463-0430 House Video/Audio (512) 463-0920 Senate commi ee (512) 463-0070 coordinator Sco Caffey House commi ee coordinator (512) 463-0850 Stacey Nicchio Senate commi ee coordinator Sco Caffey Senate Media Services (512) 463-0070 (512) 463-0300 House commi ee coordinator (512) 463-0850 Stacey Nicchio 26 Troubleshoot sound or recording problems Coffee and condiments Senate commi ee coordinator Sco Caffey Senate Media Services Dennis Yoder (sound) Michael Nassour (video) House commi ee coordinator Stacey Nicchio House Video/Audio Senate commi ee coordinator Sco Caffey House Special Services Julia Hernandez Mee ng Services—Outside Aus n List of preferred sites Senate commi ee coordinator Sco Caffey Post no ce Senate commi ee coordinator Sco Caffey House commi ee coordinator Stacey Nicchio Secretary of State’s Office Final Commi ee Report Prin ng (512) 463-0070 (512) 463-0300 (512) 463-0850 (512) 463-0920 (512) 463-0070 (512) 463-0844 or special. services@house.state.tx.us (512) 463-0070 (512) 463-0070 (512) 463-0850 (512) 463-5561 TLC Document Produc on Division (512) 463-1155 Senate Publica ons and Prin ng Room B.407, REJ Building (512) 463-0080 House Reproduc on Room G.20, JHR Building (512) 463-0885 27 Forms 29 JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE BUDGET AND STAFFING FORM Print COMMITTEE NAME: Joint Committee Budget from ___________ to ___________ Date Date 1) SALARIED COMMITTEE STAFF (itemize in Item 1 on page 2): $_______ 2) CONTRACTS (describe in Item 2 on page 2): Contract committee staff Consulting and professional contracts Expert witnesses c o n t r a c t s (compensation and/or travel reimbursement) $_______ 3) TELEPHONES: Monthly Charges Long-distance ( A T & T ) charges $_______ 4) SUPPLIES AND PURCHASING: Paper and basic office supplies Stationery and business cards Miscellaneous consumables Magazine and journal subscriptions $_______ 5) PHOTOCOPYING AND DUPLICATION: $_______ 6) PRINTING OF FINAL REPORT (check one): TLC Senate House 7) MAILINGS: Postage Express deliveries Fax communications $_______ 8) TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT: Senate and House members of committee Citizen members appointed by Lieutenant Governor and Speaker Salaried staff listed on reverse Subpoenaed witnesses (not expert witnesses -- see item 2) $_______ 9) SPECIAL OUTLAYS (itemize below): Meeting place rentals Books and publications Furniture and equipment $_______ $_______ Other $_______ $_______ $_______ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ TOTAL: ______ 10) DESIGNATED INDIVIDUAL(S) AUTHORIZED TO APPROVE EXPENDITURES Authorized: _______________________________________________________________ BUDGET SUBMITTED BY: ___________________________________________ CHAIR OR CO-CHAIR DATE ____________________________________ CHAIR OR CO-CHAIR DATE BUDGET APPROVAL BY: ______________________________________ LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DATE Page 1 of 2 __________________________________ SPEAKER DATE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE BUDGET AND STAFFING FORM COMMITTEE NAME: Joint Committee Budget from ___________ to ___________ Date Date 1) Itemize salaried committee staff positions included in Item 1 on page 1 that are to be funded by the Texas Legislative Council and who is expected to fill them, if known. Give in each case the expected duration of employment, the expected work week, and the expected compensation rate. 2) Describe any contractual expenditures included in Item 2 on page 1. 3) Include any other clarification regarding the committee budget and staffing proposal that you feel will help justify your budget request. (Alternatively, attach a letter or memorandum.) Page 2 of 2 TEXAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Print Personnel Action Form Name: (Last) Request for: (First) (Initial) Approval To Employ Transfer Approval to Post Promotion Work Schedule Change Resignation Merit Increase Reclassification Retirement One-Time Merit Payment Demotion Other: Effective Date: Employment Date (TLC): Present Proposed Division/Section: Division/Section: Position: Position: Seq. No.: Seq. No.: Salary: Salary: (Monthly) (Annual) (Monthly) (Annual) (Change) Last Promotion, Merit Increase, or One-time Merit (if applicable) Date of Last Action: Complete the appropriate section below for last promotion, merit increase, or one-time merit. Promotion Merit Increase or One-time Merit To: To: Position Title Salary (monthly) From: Salary (monthly) From: Position Title Salary (monthly) Salary (monthly) One-time Merit: Amount Remarks (For salary increase, attach salary increase justification form) Payroll Payroll Rec'd (Initial/Date): Job Class (new): Position No. (prev.): Reason Code: Approval Requested by: Budget Approval: Date Exec Director/Exec Director Designee: Division Director: Date TLCHR Form 001 (09/13) Date Date TEXAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Monthly Time Report Print Name: (Last) (First) (Initial) Month & Year Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Total Hours Worked Reg Comp Sick Annual Comp Employee Signature: Date: Reviewer Signature: Date: TLCHR Form 002(05/09) 03Y1058(1) Leave Taken Jury Duty Emergency Military LWOP Page 1 of 2 Instructions for Completing Monthly Time Report 1 Fill in the number of hours worked up to the maximum scheduled hours for that day (for example, 8 hours per day for a full-time employee) in the Reg Hours Worked column. Any time worked in excess of scheduled hours, as well as all hours worked on a holiday, should be written in the Comp Hours Worked column. Holiday time taken (if applicable to your division policy) does not need to be recorded under Leave Taken and may be recorded as 0 in the Reg Hours Worked column. 2 If a complete day is not worked, hours absent must be charged to one of the Leave Taken columns. 3 All leave taken must be approved by your manager. Application for Advance Approval of Leave Dates Covered by Leave From To Leave Type (Hours) Vacation Compensatory Leave Requested Total Hours: Approve Disapprove Reviewer Signature Date Application for Approval of Sick Leave Dates Covered by Sick Leave From To Hours Taken Explanation (Please describe the nature of illness and statement of facts below:) Total Hours: I certify that the above statements are true and correct: Employee Signature Date Physician Signature Date Approve Note: Disapprove Reviewer Signature Date Each employee must submit a sick leave application immediately on returning to duty after any absence because of illness. To be eligible for accumulated sick leave with pay for a continuous period of more than three working days, it is necessary to submit a doctor's certificate (or some written statement of facts) showing the nature of the illness. TLCHR Form 002(05/09) 03Y1058(1) Page 2 of 2 TLC RECEIVING REPORT Print P.O. NUMBER: DATE RECEIVED: NO. OF PKGS: RECEIVED BY: RECEIVED FROM: CARRIER: QTY INSPECTED BY: COMMENTS: DESCRIPTION LOCATION BLDG/RM INVENTORY NUMBER SERIAL NUMBER TEXAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ADVANCE TRAVEL/REGISTRATION REQUEST FORM Requestor's Name (print): Print Division/Section: Signature: Name of training or conference: What benefit will the Council gain from your attending this training? (Reason for travel) Location/ City, State: Registration fee: $ If travel location is not specifically listed on GSA website, use the rates listed on the second page of this form. Travel Mode: TLC Van: Yes Airfare: Yes Personal Vehicle: Yes Estimated airfare cost: $ Total miles: Incidental Expenses (parking, rental car gas, baggage fees, etc.) Rental car needed? Yes No If rental car is needed, please give explanation: @ $0.56 $ For Accounting Use Only Note: Registration information MUST be attached for consideration. Conf/Training dates: Travel dates: per day $ Meal per diem: X days Total meal estimate: $ per day Lodging per diem: $ X nights Total lodging estimate: $ Estimated incidentals: $ Estimated rental car cost: $ TOTAL ESTIMATED TRAVEL/REGISTRATION EXPENSES: $ If multiple attendees, please list additional attendees: APPROVAL Section Manager: Date: Division Director: Chief Financial Officer: Date: Date: 01/01/2014 Basic Travel Guidelines for Legislative Council Employees An Advance Travel/Registration Request Form must be filled out completely and approved prior to travel on official state business. For all registrations, a completed registration form must be submitted with the request form. The Texas State Comptroller has adopted the State of Texas Travel Allowance Guide under authority of the General Appropriations Act and the Travel Regulations Act to help state employees comply with the travel regulations enacted by the legislature. Some guidelines for claiming travel reimbursement follow: 1. AIRFARE: Economy class must be used unless First class is the only space available. Airline tickets must be approved before purchasing either through the contracted state travel vendor or via personal funds to be reimbursed. The airline ticket stub/boarding pass must be submitted regardless of how the ticket is obtained. Attach the airline ticket to your Travel Expense Information Sheet. Airport parking fees may also be claimed. An original receipt needs to be submitted with the expense form. 2. PERSONAL AUTO MILEAGE: Effective January 1, 2014, the reimbursement rate for use of personal vehicles is 56 cents per mile. 3. TAXI, RENTAL CAR, OR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Original receipts MUST be provided for rental cars. Rental cars (after the Advance Travel Form is completed and approved) should be charged to the Legislative Council through state contracted rental car agencies. Rental car reservations can be made by the travel agency. Original rental car gasoline receipts MUST be turned in. An itemized list of all claims for taxi, bus, and limousine fares showing destinations and amounts of each trip MUST be submitted for reimbursement. NOTE: If the amount of the fare is $10.00 or more, an original receipt is required. 4. LODGING AND MEALS: expenses are limited to current U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rate per day for in-state and out-of-state travel; this includes a daily maximum for lodging and meals. The GSA website is: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287 Original lodging receipts must be attached. NOTE: The maximum reimbursable lodging rate does not include hotel taxes, but employees will be reimbursed for all taxes paid. If two employees share a room, the rate will be divided between the two employees, not to exceed the allowable rate. Meals must be itemized on the expense form but no receipts are needed and reimbursement cannot exceed the daily allowable rate. If the travel location is not specifically listed, the daily maximum is $46 per day for meals and $85 per night (in-state)/$83 per night (out-of-state) for lodging. 5. BUSINESS CALLS: Official state business calls will be reimbursed. Upon return from travel, request for reimbursement of travel expenses must be submitted on the Employee Travel Expense Information Sheet. This can be found at http://webtlc/admin/forms/forms.htm NOTE: • Original receipts for airfare, lodging, rental car, gasoline for rental cars and TLC van, and registration fees are required. These receipts must be attached even if the expenses were charged directly to the council. • Please contact the TLC Accounting office at 463-1155 for assistance. 01/01/2014 Texas Legislative Council Employee Travel Expense Information Sheet Print This form must be filled out completely **Please attach receipts for transportation, lodging, parking, and miscellaneous expenses** Name: Section: Title: Purpose of Trip: Travel Dates: From: To: Destination: I Transportation A. Personal Car: Yes No If Yes: From: To: @ 0.56 = Total Miles: B. Airfare: Yes No If Yes: Was the ticket charged to the Council? Yes No Yes No What was the cost of the ticket? C. Rental Car: Yes No If Yes: Was the rental charged to the Council? What was the cost of the rental? D. Taxi Yes No If Yes: Was the taxi fee charged to the Council? Yes No Please itemize taxi expenses below. Attach receipt if taxi expense was $10.00 or more. II From: To: Cost: From: To: Cost: Meals & Lodging Please attach hotel receipt even if it was charged to the Council How was the hotel paid? Personal Credit Card Daily Rate Hotel Tax Council Credit Card Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal Total Daily Total Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 TOTAL III IV Parking Miscellaneous Expenses Location: Cost: Location: Cost: Expenses that are not covered above (Official phone calls, gas for TLC van or rental car, etc.) Cost: 01/01/2014 Texas Legislative Council Employee Travel Expense Information Sheet This form must be filled out completely **Please attach receipts for transportation, lodging, parking, and miscellaneous expenses** V Travel Record Give a daily description of your agenda including transportation Left Base: Date: Time: Returned to Base: Date: Time: Date Description Employee Signature: Date: Accounting Reviewer: Date: 01/01/2014 Print TRAVEL EXPENSE INFORMATION SHEET COMMITTEE NAME: PLEASE ATTACH RECEIPTS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, RENTAL CARS, AND LODGING. NAME: SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: ADDRESS: Street City County Zip Code 1 PURPOSE OF TRIP: 2 LEFT HEADQUARTERS: DATE TIME AM/PM 3 RETURNED: DATE TIME AM/PM 4 TRANSPORATION EXPENSES: A COMMERCIAL AIRLINES (Cannot pay for first class.) ATTACH TICKET RECEIPT - AMOUNT: B RENTAL CAR: ATTACH RECEIPT - AMOUNT: (Note: State will only pay for CDW Insurance) C PERSONAL CAR: FROM: RETURN: FROM: (Mileage is calculated from the Official State Mileage Guide.) TO: TO: D TAXI TRIPS: FROM: FROM: FROM: TO: TO: TO: E AIRPORT PARKING: $ OTHER PARKING: AMOUNT $ AMOUNT $ AMOUNT $ $ 5 MEALS & HOTEL EXPENSES: ATTACH RECEIPTS FOR LODGING AND LIST LODGING, HOTEL TAX AND MEAL COSTS BELOW: DAY I DAY II DAY III DAY IV DAY V DAY VI DAY VII DAY VIII DAY IV DAY X MEAL I __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ MEAL II __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ MEALS III __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LODGING __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ HOTEL TAX __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ DAILY TOTAL __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ MEAL TOTAL $ LODGING TOTAL: $ HOTEL TAX TOTAL $ 6 OTHER EXPENSES: Official phone calls, gas for rental cars, etc. - attach necessary receipts) APPROVED BY: DATE: Committee Chair or Designated Co-Chair $ $ OF REPR TATIV E S EX EN Witness Affirmation E ES AS HOU S Print T Instructions: 1. Please print. 2. Please complete a separate form for EACH bill, resolution, or subject. 3. Turn in your witness affirmation(s) before you testify. You will not be recognized to testify until your form has been filed with the chair of the committee. Committee on: __________________________Subcommittee on: ____________________________ Bill, Resolution, or Subject Matter: ____________________________________________________ Name: _____________________________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Phone: ( ___ ) ___________________________________ I am appearing on behalf of/representing: (You must check one) ____ Myself, ____ A and my occupation, profession, or business is ___________________________________ person, firm, corporation, class, or group whose name is _______________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ What is your position? (You must check one) ___ For ___ Against ___ Neutral (Under state law, all state agency personnel appearing on behalf of the agency must select “Neutral.”) Do you wish to be recognized to testify? (You must check one) ___ Yes ___ No I hereby swear that the above statements by me are true and accurate, and that I have listed all persons or entities that I am authorized to represent in reference to the matters on which I am appearing. I further swear that the testimony I give before this body will be true and accurate. Signature of Witness Committee Use Only: testify ______ Recognized to testify _____________________________ Chair ______ Did testify ______ Did not _______________________ Date Print MINUTE NOTES Location: ________ Date: ________________ Hearing: _____Public _____Formal ROLL CALL Present Absent Present at a Later Time Time member arrived After Recess ADDITIONAL MEMBERS PRESENT Rep. _______________ Rep. _______________ Rep. Rep. _______________ Chair Rep. _______________ Rep. Rep. _______________ Rep. Rep. QUORUM Rep. Rep. ____ YES Rep. _____ NO Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. Rep. CONVENE Time ________ AM or PM Type of notice: Who Convened: ____Chair _____ Rep. _________ RECESS On the motion of: ___ Chair. ___ Rep. ___________ The meeting was recessed: __ subject to the call of the chair. __ until (time/date) ___________ ADJOURNMENT Committee adjourned on the motion of: ___ the Chair. ___ of another member, Rep. ____________ Time of adjournment: ________ AM PM ___ A notice posted on ________________ ___ An announcement on the House floor ___ A suspension of the 5-day posting rule Time Recessed _______ AM or PM Reconvened ______ AM or PM On the motion of ____________ The meeting was adjourned: __ subject to the call of the chair. __ until (time/date) ___________
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