Overview
Texas. Legislature.
House of Representatives.
Committee on
Civil Practices
Records of the
chair
1994-1996, 1998-2001
Records consist of
legislative records, minutes, correspondence, agenda, photographs, notices of
public hearings, newsletters, clippings, reports, surveys, audiocassettes, and
research material. The materials date from 1994 to 1996 and 1998 to 2001 and
are records of Chairs Todd A. Hunter and Fred Bosse of the Texas Legislature's
House Committee on Civil Practices. Records reflect work done by the committee
and its subcommittees during legislative sessions as well as interim work of
the committee between sessions.
10 cubic
ft.
English.
Restrictions on Access
Portions of these records may be restricted under V.T.C.A. Texas
Government Code Chapter 306, which reads, in part as follows: to ensure the
right of the citizens of this state to petition state government, as guaranteed
by Article I, Section 27, of the Texas Constitution, by protecting the
confidentiality of communications of citizens with a member of the legislature
or the lieutenant governor, the public disclosure of all or part of a written
or otherwise recorded communication from a citizen of this state received by a
member or the lieutenant governor in his official capacity is prohibited
unless: (1) the citizen expressly or by clear implication authorizes the
disclosure; (2) the communication is of a type that is expressly authorized by
statute to be disclosed; or (3) the official determines that the disclosure
does not constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy of the
communicator or another person. This section does not apply to a communication
to a member of the legislature or the lieutenant governor from a public
official or public employee acting in an official capacity. A member or the
lieutenant governor may elect to disclose all or part of a communication to
which this section applies, and that disclosure does not violate the law of
this state. No member has elected to disclose all or part of the communications
contained within these committee records.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under
Public Information Act exceptions, an archivist must review these records
before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for
research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A.,
Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an
archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough
description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist
to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review
reveals information that may be excepted by the Public Information Act, we are
obligated to seek an open records decision from the Attorney General on whether
the records can be released. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten
working days after receiving a request to make this determination. The Attorney
General has 45 working days to render a decision. Alternately, the Archives can
inform you of the nature of the potentially excepted information and if you
agree, that information can be redacted or removed and you can access the
remainder of the records.
Restrictions on Use
Cotton gloves provided by the Archives mus be used to view the
photographs.
Researchers should contact the Archives Preservation Officer to view
or use the computer discs and the audio and video cassettes.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item and cite the series), Records of the chair,
Committee on Civil Practices, House of Representatives, Texas Legislature.
Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives
Commission.
Agency History
The Committee on Civil Practices of the Texas House of Representatives
is composed of nine members, with jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to
fines and penalties arising under civil laws; civil law, including rights,
duties, remedies, and procedures thereunder; civil procedure in the courts of
Texas; administrative law and the adjudication of rights by administrative
agencies; and permission to sue the state. During the 74th Regular Legislative
Session (1995), Representative Todd A. Hunter was appointed chairman of the
Committee on Civil Practices. Later, Representative Fred Bosse served on the
Committee as a member from 1997 to 1998, and as Chair from 1999 to 2002.
Scope and Contents of the Records
Records consist of minutes, correspondence, agenda, photographs,
notices of public hearings, copies of bills, bill analyses, testimony,
newsletters, news clippings, fiscal note/impact statement requests, fiscal
notes, witness affirmations, reports, surveys, audiocassettes, computer discs,
and research material. The materials date from 1994 to 1996 and 1998 to 2001
and are records of Chairs Todd A. Hunter and Fred Bosse of the Texas
Legislature's House Committee on Civil Practices. Records reflect work done by
the committee and its subcommittees during legislative sessions, as well as
interim work of the committee between sessions and routine administrative
matters pertaining to the committee. Correspondence is with other members of
the committee, state agency officials, other legislative committees, and
constituents and generally relates to committee work on pending or proposed
legislation. Subjects of the records include civil liability and judgements,
liens of health care practitioners, the liability of parties to a contract to
improve real property, class actions, the transfer of multi-county civil suits,
alternative dispute resolution, structured settlements, and to certain immunity
from liability of employees of a school district or public school. Of special
note is material relating to sovereign immunity, judicial immunity, contract
dispute resolution, actions regarding certain computer date failures (related
to the Year 2000 technology issue), the Structured Settlement Protection Act,
and the treatment of claims against the state. A few files concern the Texas
Sunset Advisory Commission, on which Representative Bosse served.
To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily
reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to
provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.
Organization of the Records
These records are organized into two series:
- Working files, 1995-1996, 1998-2001, 8.5 cubic ft.
- Administrative files, 1994-1996, 1998-2000, 1.5 cubic ft.
Index Terms
The terms listed here were used to catalog the
records. The terms can be used to find similar or related records.
Personal Names:
Hunter, Todd A.--(Todd
Ames),--1953-
Bosse, Fred M.,--1947-
Corporate Names:
Texas. Sunset
Advisory Commission.
Subjects:
Civil law--Texas.
Civil
procedure--Texas.
Administrative
law--Texas.
Administrative
procedure--Texas.
Actions and
defenses--Texas.
Privileges and
immunities--Texas.
Legislative
bodies--Texas--Committees.
Legislation--Texas.
Document Types:
Correspondence--Texas--Legislative bodies--1994-1996,
1998-2001.
Minutes--Texas--Legislative bodies--1994-1996,
1998-2001.
Agendas--Texas--Legislative bodies--1994-1996,
1998-2001.
Photographs--Texas--Legislative bodies--1994-1996,
1998-2001.
Legislative
records--Texas--Legislative bodies--1994-1996, 1998-2001.
Reports--Texas--Legislative bodies--1994-1996,
1998-2001.
Audio
cassettes--Texas--Legislative bodies--2000.
Floppy
discs--Texas--Legislative bodies--1998-2001.
Functions:
Developing civil
law.
Developing administrative
law.
Representing
state.
Related Material
The following materials are offered as
possible sources of further information on the agencies and subjects covered by
the records. The listing is not exhaustive.
Texas State
Archives
Texas Legislature, House of Representatives, Records of Todd
A. Hunter, 1960-1997 (bulk 1989-1996), 34 cubic ft. [RESTRICTED]
Texas Sunset Advisory Commission: An Inventory of Records at
the Texas State Archives, 1977-2001, 13.63 cubic ft.
Texas Legislature, House of Representatives, Records of
Representative Fred M. Bosse, 1991, 1993, 1995-2002, undated (bulk 1997-2000),
7.47 cubic ft. [RESTRICTED]
Processing Information
Lisa M. Hendricks, April 1997
Nancy Enneking, March 2003
Accession Information
Accession numbers: 1997/067, 2003/089
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by
Representative Todd Hunter on December 31, 1996, and by Representative Fred
Bosse on December 17, 2002.
Detailed Description of the Records
Working files,
1995-1996, 1998-2001,
8.5 cubic ft.
Types of records present include copies of bills, preliminary
drafts of bills, fiscal note/impact statement requests, fiscal notes,
correspondence, bill analyses, testimony, witness affirmations, agenda, notices
of public hearings, news clippings, reports, surveys, research material,
audiocassettes, and 3 1/4 inch computer floppy discs. Records date from 1995 to
1996 and 1998 to 2001 are bill files of the chairs Todd A. Hunter and Fred
Bosse of the Texas Legislature's House Committee on Civil Practices. Records
reflect work done by the committee and its subcommittees during legislative
sessions as well as interim work done by the committee between legislative
sessions in preparing reports and drafting legislation for consideration by the
next legislature. Bills under consideration by the committee relate, for
example, to civil liability and judgements, liens of health care practitioners,
the liability of parties to a contract to improve real property, class actions,
the transfer of multi-county civil suits, alternative dispure reslution,
structured settlements, and to certain immunity from liability of employees of
a school district or public school. Of special note in these records is
material relating to sovereign immunity, judicial immunity, contract dispute
resolution, actions regarding certian computer date failures (related to the
Year 2000 technology issue), the Structured Settlement Protection Act, and the
treatment of claims against the state. A few subject files contain
informational materials relating to bills on class action suits, guns, the
evaluation of existing law, Year 2000 technology issues, personal injury
damages.
Arrangement
Within each legislative session records are arranged in numerical
order by bill number, supporting and research materials follow the bill files.
All records remain in their original physical order. Numerous files have been
removed from hanging folders and refoldered as needed.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item), Working files, Records of the chair, House
of Representatives, Texas Legislature. Committee on Civil Practices, Archives
and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives
Commission.
74th Legislature,
1995
1997/067-16
House Bills 15 through 2401
1997/067-17
House Bills 2420 through 3181
1997/067-17
Senate Bills 122 through 1581
1997/067-17
House Concurrent Resolutions 70 through
187
1997/067-17
House Joint Resolution 113
1997/067-17
Senate Concurrent Resolutions 41 through
106
1997/067-17
Tort Reform files,
1995
1997/067-19
Certified copies of bills:
1997/067-19
House Bills 15 through 3181
1997/067-19
Senate Bills 122 through 1581
1997/067-19
House Concurrent Resolutions 70 through
187
1997/067-19
Senate Concurrent Resolutions 41 through
106
1997/067-19
House Joint Resolution 113
74th Legislature, Interim Sesson,
1995-1996
1997/067-18
Interim Committee correspondence,
1996
1997/067-18
Sovereign immunity legislation files and research
materials,
1995-1996
1997/067-18
Interim Report to the 75th Texas Legislature,
December 1996
76th Legislature, Regular
Session,
1999
2003/089-3
Hearing files:
2003/089-3
March 10, 1999
2003/089-3
March 17, 1999
2003/089-3
March 24, 1999
2003/089-3
April 7, 1999
2003/089-3
April 14, 1999
2003/089-3
April 21, 1999
2003/089-3
April 28, 1999
2003/089-3
May 5, 1999
2003/089-1
House Bills 9 through 2456
2003/089-2
House Bills 2482 through 3834
2003/089-2
House Concurrent Resolutions 64 through
248
2003/089-2
Senate Bills 34 through 532
2003/089-3
Senate Bills 598 through 1745
2003/089-3
Senate Concurrent Resolutions 18 through
72
2003/089-3
Supporting materials:
2003/089-4
Texas Trial Lawyers Association,
[empty]
2003/089-4
Civil Justice League,
1999
2003/089-4
Y2K articles,
1998-1999
2003/089-4
Class action lawsuits,
1999
2003/089-4
Gun bills,
1998-1999
2003/089-4
Committee on Civil Practices, Interim Report to the
76th Legislature,
January 1999
2003/089-4
[Loose notebook of material on Senate Bill 731],
1999
76th Legislature, Interim Session,
1999-2000
2003/089-4
Interim Report to the 77th Legislature,
November 2000
2003/089-4
Interim committee memos,
1999-2000
2003/089-4
General committee articles,
1999-2000
2003/089-4
Select committee [Select Committee on Judicial
Interpretations of Law] memos,
1999-2000
2003/089-4
Hearing,
June 20, 2000
2003/089-4
Witness handouts,
June 20, 2000
2003/089-4
Hearing,
August 24, 2000
2003/089-4
Civil Practices survey information,
2000
2003/089-4
Court of Appeals survey,
[2000]
2003/089-4
District Court survey,
[2000]
2003/089-5
Conflicts jurisdiction charge,
1999
2003/089-5
Summary judgement charge,
2000
2003/089-5
Structured settlement charge,
2000
2003/089-5
Rule-making charge,
2000
2003/089-5
Qui-Tam/false claims,
undated
2003/089-5
Supreme Court Rules Advisory Committee,
1999-2000
2003/089-5
Judicial recusal
[empty]
2003/089-5
Supreme Court Advisory Committee,
2000
2003/089-5
Expert testimony, articles,
1999
2003/089-5
Statutes of limitations, articles,
2000
2003/089-5
Monetary awards/punitive damages,
2000
2003/089-5
[Untitled wallet file of completed
surveys]:
2003/089-5
State District Courts,
[2000]
2003/089-5
Hearing,
June 22, 2000
[3 audiocassettes]
2003/089-5
Select Committee on Judicial Interpretation,
August 24, 2000
[1 audiocassette]
2003/089-5
Courts of Appeals,
[2000]
2003/089-5
Late arrivals,
[2000]
2003/089-5
Family/Criminal courts,
[2000]
77th Legislature, Regular Session,
2001
2003/089-4
To do X: House Bill 3125, data
2003/089-4
House Bill 3125, data
2003/089-4
State of the Judiciary, Address to the 77th
Legislature,
February 13, 2001
Administrative files,
1994-1996, 1998-2000,
1.5 cubic ft.
Types of records present include minutes, correspondence, agenda,
bill copies, legislative records, memoranda, news clippings, receipts, printed
materials, inventories, reports, resumes, and a photograph. Records date from
1994 to 1996 and 1998 to 2000 and are administrative files of the chair of the
Texas House of Representative's Committee on Civil Practices. Representatives
Todd A. Hunter and Fred M. Bosse served as chairs during the time period of
these records. Correspondence is with other members of the committee, state
agency officials, other legislative committees, and constituents and relates to
committee work on pending or proposed legislation. Records reflect routine
administrative matters pertaining to the committee such as hearing files,
general procedures, confirmations of assignments, roll calls, and the
scheduling of committee meetings. A few files concern the Texas Sunset Advisory
Commission, on which Representative Bosse served.
Arrangement
Hearing files are listed first, thereafter the records are
arranged in no apparent order and remain in order as received. Numerous files
have been removed from hanging folders and refoldered as needed.
Preferred Citation
(Identify the item), Administrative files, Records of the chair,
House of Representatives, Texas Legislature. Committee on Civil Practices,
Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives
Commission.
1997/067-15
Photograph, unidentified,
undated
1997/067-15
Post - Confirmations, (hearing notices),
1995
1997/067-15
Committee Member Signatures,
1995
1997/067-15
Committee Absentee/Present,
1995
1997/067-15
Completed Committee Tape Logs,
1995
1997/067-15
Requests for Minutes/Witness Forms,
1995
1997/067-15
Correspondence:
1997/067-15
1996 January - May 1995
1997/067-15
August/October 1995
1997/067-15
Correspondence from Committee Services,
1995-1996
1997/067-15
Computer Committee Procedures,
1995
1997/067-15
General Committee Procedures [empty]
1997/067-15
Receipts,
1995-1996
1997/067-15
Property Inventory,
1995
1997/067-15
House Rules - Procedures,
1995
1997/067-15
Resumes,
1995-1996
1997/067-15
Miscellaneous,
1994-1995
1997/067-15
Minutes,
February 1995 - September 1996
2003/089-4
Committee correspondence,
1999
2003/089-4
[Untitled hanging folder containing Civil Practices
tentative schedule and various House publications],
1999
2003/089-5
Sunset files:
2003/089-5
General Sunset information,
2000
2003/089-5
Texas Department of Economic Development - articles,
2000
[3 folders]
2003/089-5
Commission on Judicial Conduct,
2000
2003/089-5
Aircraft Pooling Board,
2000
2003/089-5
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
2000
2003/089-5
LMS project information,
1999
2003/089-5
Land and Resource: Land issues,
2000
2003/089-5
Land and Resource: Annexation,
2000
2003/089-5
Land and Resource: Coastal issues,
1998-2000
2003/089-5
Civil Practices: Constituent correspondence,
2000
2003/089-5
Open records request,
1999
2003/089-5
Health and Human Services Commission correspondence,
1999
2003/089-5
[Untitled hanging file filled with internet advertising
materials],
undated