Texas House Passes Last Minute Resolution Handing Democrats House Chair Positions on ALL Committees
In Texas, during the 89th Legislature (2025-2026), House Resolution 4 was adopted as the House Rules of Procedure. This resolution outlines the procedural framework for how the Texas House of Representatives will conduct its business during the legislative session. According to Texas lawmakers the final draft of HR 4 was posted at 4:00 a.m. at 230ish pages. Representatives wanted more time to review, but it was explained that it was noticed a year ago (even for members sworn in only last week.)
The rules dictate how committee chairs and vice-chairs are assigned. Notably, majority party members chair committees, with minority party members as vice-chairs, which reflects the traditional power dynamics in the Texas House. The House Rules are crucial because they set the framework for legislative activity for the entire session. They cover aspects like:
Committee Assignments: How members are appointed to various committees.
Bill Introduction: Procedures for introducing new legislation.
Debate: Rules on how and when debates occur.
Voting: Guidelines on how votes are conducted, including electronic voting systems.
Decorum: Standards of conduct and behavior expected within the House.
For the 89th Legislature, the adoption of H.R. 4 was significant as it was one of the first actions taken to organize the session's legislative activities. The rules ensure that the legislative process is predictable, transparent, and efficient, although they can be subject to amendments or special rules for specific bills if needed.
There is significant outrage over Rule 4. Despite some members claiming they "banned dem chairs," they actually voted in favor of a new rule REQUIRING for the second highest ranking committee member to be a Democrat. Not an expert, but it seems like a vice-CHAIR is still a chair.
What is the outrage over? Well, it's because the people claiming they "banned democrat chairs" actually gave the democrats almost full control of the House. It's discretionary for the chair to schedule a Conservative priority, but mandatory if the vice-chair wants a matter heard.
59 republicans (give or take a few) joined with 55 democrats to give them significant control over House business despite a 26 vote GOP majority. Which was done in the spirit of “bipartisanship” and not because some members already know their subcommittee chairmanships.
Under Rule 4 setion 8A, they added a mask requirement for committee meetings.
I have attached the comments from Texas Politicians