SR1 - Senate Caucus Report.

      By: Zaffirini S.R. No. 1       SENATE RESOLUTION          BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1. CAUCUS REPORT. At a caucus held in the offices   of the senate attended by 30 members of the senate, the caucus   made the recommendations for the operation of the senate   contained in this resolution.          SECTION 2.  SENATE OFFICERS. (a)  Senate officers for the   89th Legislature are:                (1)  Secretary of the Senate--Patsy Spaw;                (2)  Calendar Clerk--Nicole Albers;                (3)  Doorkeeper--Matthew Peabody;                (4)  Enrolling Clerk--Patience Worrel;                (5)  Journal Clerk--Lourdes Litchfield; and                (6)  Sergeant-at-arms--Austin Osborn.          (b)  Officers named in this section serve at the will of   the senate.          SECTION 3.  PARLIAMENTARIAN AND ASSISTANT PARLIAMENTARIAN.   The parliamentarian, Karina Davis, and the assistant   parliamentarian, Colby Beuck, are named by the lieutenant   governor and serve at the will of the lieutenant governor. They   are senate officers.          SECTION 4.  EMPLOYEES. (a)  The lieutenant governor may   employ staff for the office of the lieutenant governor at   salaries set by the lieutenant governor.          (b)  Each senator may employ staff for the senator's   office at salaries set by the senator.          (c)  The chair of each committee may employ staff of the   chair's selection as needed by the committee. A committee   employee shall be compensated in amounts similar to the   compensation paid to persons in similar senate positions.          (d)  The secretary of the senate may employ other staff   necessary for the operation of the senate at salaries approved by   the administration committee.          (e)  The lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate,   and each senator may use the assistance of any assistant   sergeant-at-arms or other available senate employee for any and   all services needed in and about the senate.          (f)  In this resolution, "senate employee" includes an   employee of the lieutenant governor, the secretary of the senate,   a senator, a senate committee, and any other person compensated   from funds appropriated for the operation of the senate.          SECTION 5.  DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE. (a)  In   addition to the duties of the administration committee expressly   imposed by this resolution, the committee shall take actions   necessary to ensure that the administrative operations of the   senate comply with applicable law and are conducted effectively   and efficiently.          (b)  The committee shall establish appropriate and   necessary controls over contracts, inventory, and property   management.          (c)  The committee may delegate any of its   responsibilities to the committee chair or to the secretary of   the senate to be performed under the general supervision of the   committee.          (d)  Policies adopted by the administration committee   must be consistent with the provisions of this resolution. To   the extent of a conflict between a policy and this resolution,   this resolution prevails.          (e)  Policies adopted by the administration committee are   subject to the will of the senate, and a majority of the senate   may reject or modify any policy adopted by the committee.          SECTION 6.  EMPLOYMENT AND PERSONNEL POLICIES. (a)  The   administration committee may adopt and enforce personnel and   employment policies governing senate employees.          (b)  The administration committee may not adopt a policy   that limits the salary of an employee of the lieutenant governor,   a senator, or a senate committee, except that the administration   committee may require approval by that committee of any senate   committee employee salary that is proposed to exceed $5,000 a   month.          SECTION 7.  MEMBER'S EMPLOYEE LEAVE POLICY. (a)  An   employee of a senator accrues vacation leave, compensatory   leave, or sick leave in accordance with policies adopted by the   senator consistent with the requirements of this section.          (b)  An employee may accrue vacation leave, compensatory   leave, or sick leave only if the employee files a monthly time   record with the senate human resources office. Time records are   due not later than the 10th day of the following month.          (c)  Compensatory time must be used not later than the   last day of the 24th month following the month in which the time   was accrued.          (d)  An employee is not entitled to compensation for   accrued but unused compensatory time.          SECTION 8.  OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT. An employee of the senate   may not be employed by and receive compensation from any other   person during the term of senate employment without the   permission of the employee's senate employer.          SECTION 9.  WORK HOURS. An employee shall report to work   at the time, and work for the number of hours, set by the   employee's senate employer.          SECTION 10.  LIMIT ON MONTHLY STAFF SALARY AND TRAVEL   EXPENSES. (a)  The total amount of staff salaries and intrastate   staff travel expenses for each senator may not exceed $73,150 per   month.          (b)  This monthly amount accrues on the first day of the   month and may not be expended prior to the month in which it   accrues, but any unexpended portion for a month may be carried   forward from one month to the next and expended until the end of   the fiscal year.          (c)  An unexpended amount remaining at the end of the   fiscal year, not to exceed $20,000, may be carried forward to the   next fiscal year. The total balance of unexpended funds   accumulated may not exceed $20,000 at the end of any fiscal   biennium.          SECTION 11.  SENATORS' EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT AND PER   DIEM. (a)  The secretary of the senate shall provide for the   reimbursement of the expenses of each senator and the payment of   each senator's per diem in accordance with law, this resolution,   and the rules of the Texas Ethics Commission.          (b)  The per diem rate to be paid to each senator for the   89th Legislature is $221.          SECTION 12.  OTHER SENATE EXPENSES. (a)  The lieutenant   governor, the secretary of the senate, and each senator may incur   expenses for carrying out official duties, including expenses   for items such as subscriptions, stationery, postage, and   telecommunications.          (b)  Expenses under this section shall be paid from the   contingent expense fund of the senate.          SECTION 13.  PAYMENT OF SALARIES AND EXPENSES.   (a)  Salaries and expenses authorized by this resolution shall   be paid from the contingent expense fund as provided by this   section.          (b)  Vouchers for payment of any expense, including   salaries and travel expenses, must be signed by the chair of the   administration committee and the secretary of the senate.          (c)  The administration committee shall adopt policies   regarding the presentation of timely, properly completed, and   signed vouchers.          SECTION 14.  DESIGNATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND   FUNCTIONS. (a)  The administration committee shall designate a   senator or any employee to attend an official meeting of a   national governmental organization during a session of the 89th   Legislature. The person designated is entitled to reimbursement   for actual and necessary expenses.          (b)  The lieutenant governor may designate a senator to   represent the senate at ceremonies and ceremonial functions. The   necessary expenses of the senator and necessary staff for this   purpose shall be paid pursuant to a budget adopted by the   administration committee.          SECTION 15.  ELECTRONIC RECORDING BY MEMBER PROHIBITED.   No member of the senate may electronically record a private   conversation held within the brass rail on the senate floor   during a legislative session without the knowledge and consent of   all participants in the conversation.          SECTION 16.  JOURNAL. The secretary of the senate shall   provide for the printing of not more than 250 copies of the daily   journal. Of that number:                (1)  140 shall be furnished to the house of   representatives;                (2)  four shall be furnished to the Texas State   Library and Archives Commission;                (3)  four shall be furnished to the Legislative   Reference Library; and                (4)  the remainder shall be apportioned among the   senators and the lieutenant governor.         _______________________________          President of the Senate                I hereby certify that the     above Resolution was adopted by     the Senate on January 15, 2025,     by the following vote:  Yeas 31,   Nays 0.             _______________________________          Secretary of the Senate