81R909 JSA-D
By: Bolton H.B. No. 2051
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring a record vote by each house or committee of
the legislature on bills, proposed constitutional amendments, and
amendments to bills and proposed constitutional amendments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 301.035 to read as follows:
Sec. 301.035. RECORD VOTE ON BILLS AND OTHER MEASURES
REQUIRED. (a) A vote taken by a house or committee of the
legislature must be by record vote if the vote is on:
(1) approval or disapproval of a bill on second or
third reading or of an amendment or substitute to a bill on second
or third reading; or
(2) approval or disapproval of a joint resolution
proposing or ratifying a constitutional amendment on second or
third reading or of an amendment or substitute to such a joint
resolution on second or third reading.
(b) How each member voted on a matter described by
Subsection (a) shall be recorded in the journal of the appropriate
house or in the minutes of the appropriate committee.
(c) The secretary of the senate or chief clerk of the house
of representatives, as applicable, shall:
(1) promptly publish each record vote required by this
section, including the vote of each individual member, on the
public Internet website maintained by or for the appropriate house
in a manner that is easily accessible and searchable by members of
the public; and
(2) permanently maintain that information on the
Internet website.
(d) In enacting this section, each house of the legislature
is exercising its constitutional authority to determine the rules
of its own proceedings. The requirements of this section are
cumulative of any other requirements of law or rule regarding the
recording or publication of votes taken by a house or committee of
the legislature. In each house, this section has the effect of, and
is enforceable in the same manner as, a rule adopted by resolution.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.