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Bill Statistics After Signing/Veto Period, 88th Legislature, R.S.

Sunday, June 18, 2023 was the last day the governor could sign or veto an enrolled bill from the 88th Regular Session. If neither action was taken, the bill became law without his signature.

88th Legislature, R.S., Statistics

The following bill statistics were calculated on June 20, 2023, at 4 p.m.

 

  House Bills (HBs) &
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs)
Senate Bills (SBs) &
Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 5,619 2,726
Reported out of committee 2,200 866
Passed by chamber of origin 1,594 816
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 1,520 812
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 871 631
Passed opposite chamber 769 513
Sent to the Governor 744 502
Signed by the Governor 629 409
Filed without the Governor's signature 92 39
Signed by the Governor/line item veto 1 0
Vetoed by the Governor 22 54

 

 

House Bills (HBs) & Senate Bills (SBs)
Filed 8,046
Sent to the Governor 1,246
Signed by the Governor 1,038
Filed without the Governor's signature 131
Signed by the Governor/line-item veto 1
Vetoed by the Governor 76
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs) & Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 299
Filed with the Secretary of State 13
House Concurrent Resolutions (HCRs) & Senate Concurrent Resolutions (SCRs)
Filed 185
Filed with the Secretary of State 14
Sent to the Governor 86
Signed by the Governor 85
Filed without the Governor's signature 1
Vetoed by the Governor 0

 

To see how these statistics have changed, please view our previous bill statistics blog posts:

 

You can also view lists of bills by the governor's action on Texas Legislature Online (TLO).

1. On TLO's homepage, click on the "Reports" link under Additional Searches.

 

 

2. Then click on the "General Reports" tab to see the lists of bills by the governor's action.

 

Bill Statistics, Two Weeks After Sine Die, June 12, 2023

Sunday, June 18, 2023, is the last day the governor can sign or veto an enrolled bill. If neither action is taken, the bill becomes law without his signature.

 

88th Legislature, R.S., Statistics

The following bill statistics were calculated on June 13, 2023, at 8:45 a.m.

 

  House Bills (HBs) &
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs)
Senate Bills (SBs) &
Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 5,619 2,726
Reported out of committee 2,200 866
Passed by chamber of origin 1,594 816
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 1,520 812
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 871 631
Passed opposite chamber 769 513
Sent to the Governor 744 502
Signed by the Governor 459 236
Filed without the Governor's signature 51 24
Vetoed by the Governor 1 1

 

 

House Bills (HBs) & Senate Bills (SBs)
Filed 8,046
Sent to the Governor 1,246
Signed by the Governor 695
Filed without the Governor's signature 75
Vetoed by the Governor 2
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs) & Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 299
Filed with the Secretary of State 13
House Concurrent Resolutions (HCRs) & Senate Concurrent Resolutions (SCRs)
Filed 185
Filed with the Secretary of State 14
Sent to the Governor 86
Signed by the Governor 61
Filed without the Governor's signature 1
Vetoed by the Governor 0

Previous bill statistics posts:

 

Updated Bill Statistics, June 5, 2023

Sunday, June 18, 2023, is the last day the governor can sign or veto an enrolled bill. If neither action is taken, the bill becomes law without his signature.

 

88th Legislature, R.S., Statistics

The following bill statistics were calculated on June 5, 2023, at 10:50 a.m.

 

  House Bills (HBs) &
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs)
Senate Bills (SBs) &
Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 5,619 2,726
Reported out of committee 2,200 866
Passed by chamber of origin 1,594 816
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 1,520 812
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 871 631
Passed opposite chamber 769 513
Sent to the Governor 742 501
Signed by the Governor 110 226
Filed without the Governor's signature 5 24
Vetoed by the Governor 1 1

 

 

House Bills (HBs) & Senate Bills (SBs)
Filed 8,046
Sent to the Governor 1,242
Signed by the Governor 336
Filed without the Governor's signature 29
Vetoed by the Governor 2
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs) & Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 299
Filed with the Secretary of State 13
House Concurrent Resolutions (HCRs) & Senate Concurrent Resolutions (SCRs)
Filed 185
Filed with the Secretary of State 14
Sent to the Governor 86
Signed by the Governor 47
Filed without the Governor's signature 1
Vetoed by the Governor 0

Previous bill statistics posts:

 

What's Next? Post-Session FAQ and Bill Statistics, 88th R.S.

Bill Statistics:

House Bills (HBs) & Senate Bills (SBs)
Filed 8,046
Sent to the Governor 1,242
Signed by the Governor 270
Filed without the Governor's signature 23
Vetoed by the Governor 2
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs) & Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 299
Filed with the Secretary of State 13
House Concurrent Resolutions (HCRs) & Senate Concurrent Resolutions (SCRs)
Filed 185
Filed with the Secretary of State 14
Sent to the Governor 86
Signed by the Governor 47
Filed without the Governor's signature 1
Vetoed by the Governor 0

*Statistics as of May 30, 2023, at 3 p.m. See our bill statistics page to compare these numbers with historical statistics.

 

Post-Session FAQ:

What happens now?

The 88th Regular Session ended Monday, May 29, 2023. Bills that pass both the House and the Senate are sent to the governor to sign, veto, or allow to become law without his signature.

 

When the Legislature passes a bill, does it become a law right away?

No. Under Article 4, Section 14 of the Texas Constitution, bills passed by the Legislature must be submitted to the governor for approval. The governor can sign a bill, veto it, line-item veto an appropriation, or allow a bill to become law without his signature.

 

How much time does the governor have to act on a bill?

The deadline for the governor to act on a bill is contingent upon the point in time in which the bill is presented to the governor.


If a bill is sent to the governor during the legislative session, the governor has 10 days (excluding Sundays) to sign the bill or return the bill to the Legislature with objection. If after 10 days the bill is not returned to the Legislature by the governor with objections or he has not yet signed it, the bill becomes law as if the governor had signed it.


If the Legislature has adjourned sine die, or if the bill is presented to the governor less than 10 days (excluding Sundays) prior to final adjournment, the governor has 20 days (including Sundays) after the final day of the session to sign or veto the bill. If neither action is taken, the bill becomes law without the governor's signature (Texas Const. art. IV, § 14).


Sunday, June 18, is the 20th day following the final adjournment of the 88th Regular Session. It is the last day the governor can sign or veto bills passed during the 88th Regular Session. The LRL's vetoes database will be updated for the 88th Regular Session as we receive those documents.

 

If the governor approves a bill, when will it take effect?

The text of a bill may include effective date provisions requiring the bill to take effect immediately, to take effect on a specified day, or there may be no mention of an effective date. Different sections of a bill may have different effective dates.


According to Article III, Section 39 of the Texas Constitution, a bill cannot become effective until at least 90 days after the session ends unless the bill passes both chambers with a favorable vote by two-thirds of the members.


Monday, August 28, 2023, is the 91st day following final adjournment; bills that do not specify an effective date and those that did not have the two-thirds vote necessary to take effect earlier will take effect on Monday, August 28, 2023.


If a bill received the votes necessary to become effective immediately, it will take effect on the date of the last action necessary for it to become law. This could be when the governor signs it, when the governor files it with the Secretary of State without approving or vetoing it, or when the time for the governor to act expires, if the bill has not been approved or vetoed during that time.

 

What happens to bills that do not pass?

Bills that do not make it completely through the legislative process die with the end of the session and are not automatically refiled during the next session.

 

What about other types of legislation?

Joint resolutions that pass both chambers of the Legislature are filed with the Secretary of State, and will be on the ballot as a proposed constitutional amendment for the November 7, 2023, election.


Concurrent resolutions generally require action by the governor. Concurrent resolutions used for administrative matters in the House and Senate do not require approval from the governor.


Simple resolutions are passed by only one chamber of the Legislature, and do not require the governor's approval.

 

Where can I find more information about special sessions?

You can start with the LRL's FAQ about special sessions. The LRL website's section devoted to special sessions also includes historical information, links to statutory authority pertaining to special sessions, and more.

 

Sources:

Bill Statistics, 133rd Day, 88th R.S.

Bill statistics comparing the 133rd day of the 88th and the 87th Regular Sessions are below. For information about what happens to a bill after it passes, please see our Legislative FAQ page.

 

Bill statistics for the period of November 14, 2022 — May 22, 2023, are below:

  House Bills (HBs) &
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs)
Senate Bills (SBs) &
Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 5,619 2,726
Reported out of committee 2,200 866
Passed by chamber of origin 1,594 816
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 1,520 560
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 863 631
Passed opposite chamber 549 377
Sent to the Governor 227 264
Signed by the Governor 9 95
Filed without the Governor's signature 1 5
Vetoed by the Governor 0 1

Previous bill statistics posts:

 

Bill Statistics & Upcoming Deadlines, May 15, 2023

As the 88th Legislature draws to a close, a series of end-of-session deadlines begin to take effect. Below is a list of deadlines that occur next week:

  • Monday, May 22: Deadline for the last House Local & Consent Calendar with Senate bills (SBs) to be distributed.
  • Tuesday, May 23: Last day for the House to consider second reading Senate bills and Senate joint resolutions (SJRs) on the House Daily or Supplemental Calendar.
  • Wednesday, May 24: Last day for the House to consider local and consent Senate bills on second and third reading, and all third reading Senate bills and Senate joint resolutions on the Supplemental Calendar.
    Last day for the Senate to consider all bills and joint resolutions on second or third reading.
  • Thursday, May 25: Deadline for Senate amendments to be distributed in the House.
  • Friday, May 26: Deadline for House copies of conference committee report (CCR) on the general appropriations bill to be distributed.
    Last day for the House to act on Senate amendments.
    Deadline for Senate copies of conference committee reports on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills to be printed and distributed.
  • Saturday, May 27: Deadline for House copies of conference committee reports on joint resolutions and bills other than the general appropriations bill to be distributed.
    Deadline for Senate copies of all conference committee reports on joint resolutions and bills other than tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills to be printed and distributed.
  • Sunday, May 28: Last day for the House to adopt conference committee reports or discharge House conferees and concur in Senate amendments.
    Last day for the Senate to concur in House amendments or adopt conference committee reports.
  • Monday, May 29: Last day of the 88th Regular Session (Sine die); only corrections may be considered in the House and the Senate.

House and Senate calendars are available on Texas Legislature Online.

 

Bill statistics for the period of November 14, 2022 — May 12, 2023, are below.

 

  House Bills (HBs) &
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs)
Senate Bills (SBs) &
Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 5,619 2,725
Reported out of committee 2,200 860
Passed by chamber of origin 1,590 793
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 1,301 532
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 281 455
Passed opposite chamber 88 217
Sent to governor (bills only) 40 154
Signed by the governor (bills only) 0 4

 

Previous bill statistics:

Bill Statistics & Upcoming Deadlines, May 8, 2023

As the 88th Legislature draws to a close, a series of end-of-session deadlines begin to take effect. Below is a list of deadlines that occur next week:

  • Wednesday, May 17: Deadline for the House to distribute its last House Local and Consent Calendar with local House bills (HBs).
  • Friday, May 19: Last day for the House to consider local House bills on Local and Consent Calendar on second and third reading.
    First day the Senate can consider bills and resolutions the first day they are posted on the Senate Notice of Intent Calendar.
  • Saturday, May 20: Last day for House committees to report Senate bills (SBs) and Senate joint resolutions (SJRs).
  • Sunday, May 21: Deadline for the House to distribute its last House Daily Calendar with Senate bills and Senate joint resolutions.

House and Senate calendars are available on the Texas Legislature Online.

 

Bill statistics for the period of November 14, 2022 — May 5, 2023, are below.

 

  House Bills (HBs) &
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs)
Senate Bills (SBs) &
Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 5,619 2,724
Reported out of committee 2,182 838
Passed by chamber of origin 991 754
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 688 478
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 75 320
Passed opposite chamber 14 71
Sent to governor (bills only) 2 38
Signed by the governor (bills only) 0 1

 

Last week's bill statistics:

Bill Statistics & Upcoming Deadlines, May 1, 2023

As the 88th Legislature draws to a close, a series of end-of-session deadlines begin to take effect. Below is a list of deadlines that occur next week:

  • Monday, May 8: Last day for House committees to report House bills (HBs) and House joint resolutions (HJRs).
  • Tuesday, May 9: Deadline for the House to distribute the last House Daily Calendar with House bills and House joint resolutions.
  • Wednesday, May 10: Deadline for the House to distribute the last House Local and Consent Calendar with consent House bills.
  • Thursday, May 11: Last day for the House to consider House bills and House joint resolutions on second reading on the House Daily or Supplemental Calendar.
  • Friday, May 12: Last day for the House to consider consent House bills on second and third reading on the Local and Consent Calendar and all third reading House bills or House joint resolutions on the House Supplemental Calendar.

House and Senate calendars are available on Texas Legislature Online.

 

Bill statistics for the period of November 14, 2022 — April 28, 2023, are below.

 

  House Bills (HBs) &
House Joint Resolutions (HJRs)
Senate Bills (SBs) &
Senate Joint Resolutions (SJRs)
Filed 5,618 2,717
Reported out of committee 2,022 798
Passed by chamber of origin 601 659
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 291 591
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 8 166
Passed opposite chamber 3 35
Sent to governor (bills only) 0 3
Signed by the governor (bills only) 0 0

 

Bill Filing Deadline Statistics, 88th Legislature

Friday, March 10th marked the 60-day bill filing deadline for the 88th Regular Session. When the deadline passed, a total of 8,153 bills and joint resolutions had been filed. See below for a comparison of the 88th and 87th Regular Sessions and related historical bill filing deadline statistics.

 

 

Bills and Joint Resolutions 87th Regular Session
(Nov. 9, 2020 — March 12, 2021)
88th Regular Session
(Nov. 14, 2022 — March 10, 2023)
House filed 4,728 5,497
Senate filed 2,191 2,656
Total filed 6,919 8,153
House referred to committee 1,979 2,482
Senate referred to committee 1,001 1,381
Total referred to committee 2,980 3,863
House scheduled for hearing 100 81
Senate scheduled for hearing 17 55
Total scheduled for hearing 117 136
House reported out of committee 9 13
Senate reported out of committee 2 13
Total reported out of committee 11 26

 

 

 

Bill Statistics at the 45th Day, 88th Session

Thursday, February 23 marked the 45th day of the 88th Regular Session. That means we're 3/4 of the way to the 60-day bill filing deadline, which is Friday, March 10, 2023.

For those who are curious, here is a look at bill statistics* in comparison to a similar period last session.

 

 

Bills and Joint Resolutions 87th Regular Session
(Nov. 9, 2020–Feb. 25, 2021)
88th Regular Session
(Nov. 14, 2022–Feb. 23, 2023)
House filed (HBs & HJRs) 2,401 2,848
Senate filed (SBs & SJRs) 814 1,209
Total filed 3,215 4,057
House referred to committee (HBs & HJRs) 477 675
Senate referred to committee (SBs & SJRs) 3 709
Total referred to committee 480 1,384

*Statistics generated from Texas Legislature Online's Bill Search.

 

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