HR 4 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Adopting the House Rules of Procedure for the 89th Legislature.

HR 4 is a procedural resolution adopting the permanent rules of procedure for the Texas House of Representatives during the 89th Legislature. It establishes the official framework governing House operations, including committee assignments, floor procedures, and the speaker's duties. This resolution directly affects House members, staff, and committees by defining how legislative business is conducted under the adopted rules. The bill does not create new policy but formalizes existing procedural standards for the session.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
House Passage
Jan 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Jan 28, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrolled · 4 edits · Jan 28, 2025
MODERATE
The document transitioned from a draft resolution to an enrolled version of House Rule 4, which establishes permanent rules for the Texas House of Representatives. The primary changes involve formatting updates, reorganization of sections, and the addition of detailed procedural rules for the Speaker, officers, and employees that were previously absent or incomplete. These changes formalize the operational procedures for the House, including voting processes, committee appointments, and administrative duties.
Scope change
The scope expanded from a general resolution framework to include comprehensive, detailed operational rules covering Speaker duties, officer responsibilities, and employee functions.
REQUIREMENT

Added detailed sections on Speaker duties including enforcement of rules, call to order, laying business before the house, referral of legislation, preservation of order, recognition of gallery visitors, stating and voting on questions, voting rights of the presiding officer, questions of order, appointment of Speaker pro tempore, emergency adjournment, postponement of reconvening, signing bills, control over hall of the house, standing committee appointments, appointment of select and conference committees, interim studies, and campaigns for Speaker.

Added comprehensive sections on officers and employees including duties of Chief Clerk, Journal Clerk, Reading Clerks, and Sergeant-at-Arms.

TECHNICAL

Updated formatting from draft resolution style to enrolled bill format, including changes in section numbering, removal of placeholder text, and reorganization of table of contents.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions and procedures for electronic legislative information systems, time-stamping of documents, and notification requirements for calendar updates.

Floor votes · House Jan 23, 2025

How they voted

11623
Passed · 6 other
Total votes 145
Jan 23, 2025
D Democratic58
55 Yea 1 Nay 2
94% Yea
R Republican87
61 Yea 22 Nay 4
70% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
10
Key actions
2
Committee
0
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed in the House
lower
Jan 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Adopted
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Todd Hunter
Todd Hunter
RRepublican
TX
32