1 Texas Administrative Code § 6.21 – Officers of the Commission
(a) The commission’s chair and vice chair shall be elected annually by majority vote of the commission. The election shall take place at the first commission meeting held after June 1 of each year. Each officer shall serve until his or her successor is selected.
(b) The chair and vice chair shall be members of different political parties.
(c) The chair and vice chair may be re-elected; however, if a new chair is elected he or she should be a member of a different political party than the former chair.
(d) The person elected to serve as the commission’s chair shall also serve as the commission’s presiding officer. The presiding officer shall preside at all meetings of the commission. While presiding, the presiding officer shall direct the order of the meeting, appoint committees and persons to chair committees, recognize persons to be heard at hearings, set reasonable and necessary time limits for speakers, and take other actions to clarify issues and preserve order. Unless the chair appoints a presiding officer pro tem pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, the vice chair shall perform all duties of the presiding officer when the chair is absent.
(e) In addition to other powers identified elsewhere in this Part, the presiding officer may perform the following actions of the commission:
(1) Sign previously approved subpoenas and orders;
(2) Schedule hearings and meetings; and
(3) Timely respond to matters on behalf of the commission, including litigation matters, when action is required before the next scheduled meeting.
(f) The chair may appoint a commissioner as presiding officer pro tem to preside over a hearing held by the commission.
(g) If the chair or vice chair is unable to participate in a matter pending before the commission, either may select a replacement from among the other commissioners to exercise their authority and fulfill their duties under this Part and any other applicable law.
