Texas. Legislature. House of Representatives. Appropriations Committee

Texas Legislature's House Appropriations Committee was first provided for in the House Rules on the opening day of the 29th Legislature in 1905. Rule VII included Appropriations among the standing committees of the House with jurisdiction over all bills appropriating moneys out of the State Treasury for maintenance of State Government. The creation of the committee was a response to Governor S.W.T. Lanham's executive message of May 1, 1903, at the close of the First Called Session of the 28th Legislature, requesting both houses to implement a systematic itemization of appropriations wherever possible. The first Appropriations Committee had 21 members and was appointed on January 12, 1905. The Committee continued as one of the standing committees of the Texas House of Representatives, the number of its members has remained in the 20's, and the Committee's charge has remained the same.

By 2000, the committee had 27 members, with specific jurisdiction over: all bills and resolutions appropriating money from the state treasury; all bills and resolutions containing provisions resulting in automatic allocation of funds from the state treasuty; all bills and resolutions diverting funds from the state treasury or preventing funds from going in that otherwise would be placed in the state treasury; and all matters pertaining to claims and accounts filed with the legislature against the state unless jurisdiction over those bills and resolutions is specifically granted by these rules to some other standing committee. The appropriations committee may comment upon any bill or resolution containing a provision resulting in an automatic allocation of funds.

As a standing committee (according to the Texas Administrative Code, Section 301, Subchapter B), the Appropriations Committee is expected to operate regardless of whether or not the Legislature is currently in session and must do the following: conduct a continuing study of any matter within its jurisdiction and of the instrumentalities of government administering or executing the matter; examine the administration and execution of all laws relating to jurisdictional matters; conduct investigations to collect adequate information and materials necessary to perform its duties; formulate legislative programs; and initiate, draft, and recommend to the House any legislation the committee deems necessary and desirable. The committee chair must introduce or cause to be introduced the legislative programs developed by the committee and shall mobilize efforts to secure the passage of such proposals. The committee may inspect the records, documents, and files of each state department, agency, or office, as needed, to perform its duties. As a standing committee, it is not limited to considering items submitted by individual legislators, but must search for problems within its jurisdiction and develop, formulate, initiate, and secure passage of any legislative solution the committee deems desirable. When the legislature is in session, the committee may meet when it chooses, so long as it adheres to applicable legislative requirements and rules of procedure. When the legislature is not in session, it will meet when necessary to transact the committee's business wherever authorized by the legislation which created the committee.