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Prefiling Statistics, 83rd Regular Session

In Texas, the Rules and Precedents of the Texas House (Rule 8, Section 7) and Senate Rules (Rule 7.04) allow legislators to prefile bills "beginning the first Monday after the general election preceding the next regular legislative session."

 

Prefiling for the 83rd Texas Legislature began on Monday, November 12, the first Monday after the general election on November 6. Following are the number of prefiled bills and joint resolutions as of Monday, January 7:

 

                83R Prefiled Bills and Joint Resolutions

                (11/12/12–1/7/13)

 

                HB/HJR                 385

                SB/SJR                  149

 

                Total                      534

 

How do these numbers compare to previous sessions? Following are the number of bills and joint resolution prefiled during the last two regular sessions:

 

                82R Prefiled Bills and Joint Resolutions

                (11/8/10–1/10/11)

 

                HB/HJR                 575

                SB/SJR                  312

 

                Total                      887

 

                81R Prefiled Bills and Joint Resolutions

                (11/10/08–1/12/09)

 

                HB/HJR                 603

                SB/SJR                  455

 

                Total                      1,058

 

The total number of bills and joint resolutions prefiled for the 83rd regular session is 60.2% of those prefiled during the 82nd regular session, and 50.5% of those prefiled during the 81st regular session.