TEXAS – The 89th Texas Legislature will begin on Tuesday with 181 lawmakers and more than 2,400 bills filed.
Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson will oversee the organization of the House of Representatives and appoint temporary officers. She will lead the process until a Speaker of the House is elected.
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KPRC 2 reporter Rilwan Balogun will be live in Austin on Tuesday for the start of the 89th Texas Legislature. He will bring you live coverage and continuous updates on what’s happening throughout the day starting at 6 a.m.
Secretary Nelson has appointed Walter Fisher and Sharon Carter as parliamentarians for the inauguration of the House’s session.
“This is a duo with extensive parliamentary knowledge and the experience to guide the opening of the 89th Legislative Session,” said Secretary Nelson. “With the support of these individuals, we will make sure the organizing of the House is a fair, transparent and orderly process.”
After the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives is elected, the members of the House will offer amendments to and vote on the House Rules that will govern the body’s work in the 89th Texas Legislature.
Currently, three candidates are running to serve as the next Speaker of the Texas House: two Republicans and one Democrat -- Representative Ana-Maria Ramos, Representative Dustin Burrows and Representative David Cook.
Additionally, Comptroller of Public Accounts Glen Hagar is expected to release his Biennial Revenue Estimate, quantifying the budget surplus legislators will have available to spend, and Gov. Greg Abbott will announce his list of emergency items determining which legislation can be moved in the first 60 days of the legislative session.
The 150 members of the Texas House of Representatives and the 31 members of the Texas Senate will be sworn in for the 89th Legislature on Tuesday.
To watch the Senate proceedings, visit the Texas State Senate website.
