News

The Chairman of the Texas House Administration Committee, Representative Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth), has released the results of a survey of members that he said will “determine how the House conducts its business through the remainder of this pandemic.”

Chairman Geren thanked the members for their “thoughtful input” but did not offer further comment at this time.

Here’s a summary of some of the results:
– More than 87% of the responding House members support temperature checks upon entry to the Texas Capitol;
– 82% support requiring face masks in Capitol common areas, committee rooms and public meeting spaces;
– Slightly more than 60% oppose permitting outside groups to reserve and use public spaces like committee rooms, the legislative conference center and member’s extension lounge;
– Opinions on what should trigger a full reopening ranged from “immediately” to “when a vaccine is available” and included everything in between;
– More than 80% favored limiting tours to only certain areas of the Capitol building and 60% favored suspending them;
– Slightly more than half favored limiting visitors to those who had business in the building;
– More than 85% supported limiting certain entrances to legislators and staff only.