July 10, 1961 - August 8, 1961

Leadership

Governor: Price Daniel, Sr. -  Vetoes

Lieutenant Governor: Ben Ramsey

Speaker of the House: James Arthur 'Jimmy' Turman 

Special Session Topics

 Proclamations   Messages

• Appropriations for general State services authorized under existing law or Acts of the 57th Legislature, Regular Session, for the biennium beginning September 1, 1961, and ending August 31, 1963; to provide sufficient economy and revenue measures to meet these expenditures and retire the deficit in the State Treasury, including an adequate procedure for the custody, reporting and escheat of property to which the State is entitled under present laws; and to enact improvements in the public schools, including teacher salary increases [Tue May 30, 1961]
• Amendments requested by the State Anatomical Board to the Anatomical and Tissue Law contained in House Bills 878 and 879 of the Regular Session [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Amendments to the Good Neighbor Scholarship Law [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Authority for game wardens to enforce laws against trespassing [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• County road laws [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Creation of a Commission to study reorganization of the State government and its fiscal system [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Election Code amendments to provide for majority votes in special elections for the State Legislature and United States House of Representatives. This is in line with the amendment adopted in 1957 providing for a run-off in special United States Senate and Congressman-at-Large elections if no candidate receives a majority in the first election [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Harris County municipal retirement program [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Improvements in and additions to Sunday closing laws relating to retail stores [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Increase in the present $28 maximum payment under the Texas Unemployment Compensation Law, with such additional improvements as may be necessary to provide adequate benefits, protection to employees and employers, and discharge the State's responsibility in this field. [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Local or uncontested bills relating to retirement systems, court reporters, game laws, water safety, hospital districts, navigation districts and ports, water improvement, reclamation, drainage and soil conservation districts [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Medically-accepted chemical test law for use in cases of driving while intoxicated [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• More adequate salaries for district and county attorneys, especially where the county attorney serves also as district attorney [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Municipal annexation [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Non-profit corporations for charitable and public service purposes [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Providing child support in divorce cases where physically or mentally handicapped children, regardless of age, are involved [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Providing for use and control of causeways for public fishing piers when abandoned by the State Highway Department [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Recommendations of the Texas Law Enforcement Study Commission contained in a series of bills already introduced in the House, and other improvements in the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Rehabilitation districts to provide education, training, special services and guidance for the handicapped [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Revision of the driver licensing law [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Safety standards for mobile homes [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Trademark legislation as contained in House Bill 471 of the Regular Session [Tue Jul 25, 1961]
• Amend Sec. 2 of Chapter 266, Acts of 57th Legislature, Reg., Sess., 1961, to clearly provide that such Act shall have not effect upon state aid to be paid to any junior college district, and invoking the authority of this Act to help defray the cost of junior college level work [Fri Aug 4, 1961]
• Definition of "specialized motor carrier" as contained in S.B. 23, now pending [Fri Aug 4, 1961]

Journals

The House Journal and Senate Journal for the 57th 1st Called Session are available from the Legislative Reference Library.

Rules
House Rules (57th R.S.)
Joint Rules (57th R.S.)
Senate Rules (57th R.S.)

Bill statistics for the 57th Legislature, 1st Called Session

Status	HB	HCR	HJR	HR	SB	SCR	SJR	SR	Total HB & SB	Total
Filed	165	47	0	219	69	30	0	86	234	616
Passed	34	21	0	206	28	22	0	86	62	397
Vetoed	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	1