2022-2023 State Bar of Texas Legislative Timetable

Approved by the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors, January 2022

Pursuant to State Bar board policy governing legislative actions (Section 8.01), the following timetable was submitted for approval by the board of directors. This timetable is offered to sections that plan to propose legislation in the 2023 session of the Texas Legislature.

2022
January 27: Board of directors vote on the legislative timetable.

February 7: Copies of the legislative timetable and legislative policy are sent to all section chairs. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.08(C).)

March 10: Notice is sent to all section chairs of the July 1 deadline for submission of proposed legislation to the board of directors for the 2023 State Bar Legislative Program. Proposals must be in final bill form and must include the information as set out in Section 8.01.06(C)(1-7) of the State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy as follows:

(1) A brief narrative explanation of the legislation.
(2) Identification of, reference to, or copies of similar legislation, if any, proposed to or being considered by the same legislative or administrative body.
(3) A verification that all sections and committees of the State Bar have been sent the legislation for comment and the comments received (copy of form letter and copy of return receipt from each committee and section).
(4) A statement indicating whether the proposed legislation had been introduced in either the House or Senate during prior legislative sessions, as well as a statement of any amendments proposed to the proposed legislation during the prior legislative sessions and the status of the proposed legislation.
(5) A statement of the known position on the legislative proposal taken by any section or committee of the State Bar that has considered the same proposal, including the principal reasons for support of or opposition to the proposal.
(6) A detailed statement explaining how the proposed legislation addresses the State Bar, the regulation of lawyers, the functioning of state or federal courts, or the functioning of the legal system, such that the State Bar’s taking of a position regarding the proposed legislation will comply with Keller v. State Bar of California, 496 U.S. 1 (1990), and McDonald v. Longley, 4 F.4th 229 (5th Cir. 2021).
(7) Such other information as the executive director may reasonably request from time to time.

April: Legislative Timetable is published in the Texas Bar Journal. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.08(D).)

July 1: Deadline for submission of proposed legislation for inclusion in the bar’s legislative program. All proposals must be in final bill form and must contain the information outlined in 8.01.06(C)(1-7) of the Legislative Policy or the proposal will not be considered for inclusion in the State Bar’s legislative program. Proposals may only be submitted by sections and not committees of the State Bar. Committees wishing to submit proposals must do so through a section of the State Bar having cognizance of the subject matter of the proposed legislation. Sections may submit proposals for inclusion in the State Bar’s legislative program or to be sponsored in the section’s name. Proposals must have been distributed to all other sections and committees of the State Bar for comment. Proposals should also be mailed to other parties and entities that have a direct interest in the subject matter of the proposal along with an invitation to comment. Comments received should be forwarded with proposals at this time. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.06(A)(1)—at least 45 days before the Legislative Policy Subcommittee meeting.)

July: Notice of the Legislative Policy Subcommittee Meeting published in the Texas Bar Journal. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.08(B).)

August 8: Executive director prepares and forwards to each member of the Legislative Policy Subcommittee a copy of each item of proposed legislation together with the explanatory material required. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.08(G)—not less than 14 days before Legislative Policy Subcommittee meeting.)

August 12: Deadline for filing written objections to any legislative proposals to be considered by the Legislative Policy Subcommittee. Objections must be filed in order to appear in opposition before the committee. If no objection is timely filed, the Legislative Policy Subcommittee will enter a position of “no objection” on the proposals being considered. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.06(D)—not less than 10 days before Legislative Policy Subcommittee meeting.)

August 22-26 (Tentative): Meeting of the Legislative Policy Subcommittee to consider proposed legislation that has been properly submitted.

September 6 (Tentative): Appeal deadline for any proponent whose legislative proposal is not recommended by the Legislative Policy Subcommittee for inclusion in the State Bar's legislative program and who wishes to appeal to the board of directors by giving written notice to the executive director. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.06(I)—within 10 days after the date of action.)

September 6 (Tentative): Second meeting of Legislative Policy Subcommittee.

September 16 (Tentative): Deadline for appeal from decision (if any) made at second Legislative Policy Subcommittee meeting. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.06(I)—within 10 days after the date of action.)

September 16: Report of the Legislative Policy Subcommittee and copies of legislative proposals sent to the board of directors. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.08(H)—not less than 14 days before board meeting.)

September 30: Board of directors meeting—consider recommendations of the Legislative Policy Subcommittee and adopt the 2023 State Bar Legislative Program.

November 11: Deadline for sections supporting legislative proposals to submit to the executive director or designee a suggested list of legislative sponsors for each proposal. (State Bar of Texas Legislative Policy § 8.01.09(E)—not less than 60 days before the Texas Legislature convenes in regular session.)

November 14: Pre-filing of bills for the 88th legislative session begins.

2023
January 10: 88th legislative session begins.

May 29: 88th legislative session ends.^T^BJ

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