83R23084 TJB-D
By: Bonnen of Galveston H.J.R. No. 128
Substitute the following for H.J.R. No. 128:
By: Harper-Brown C.S.H.J.R. No. 128
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature
to convene following each regular session of the legislature to
consider the repeal of or correction of recently enacted laws.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 5(a), Article III, Texas Constitution,
is amended to read as follows:
(a) The Legislature shall meet in regular session every two
years at such time as may be provided by law, in a session to repeal
or correct recently enacted laws as provided by Section 40(b) of
this article, and at other times when convened by the Governor.
SECTION 2. Section 40, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 40. (a) When the Legislature shall be convened in
special session, there shall be no legislation upon subjects other
than those designated in the proclamation of the Governor calling
such session, or presented to them by the Governor; and no such
session shall be of longer duration than thirty days.
(b) The Legislature shall convene to consider the repeal of,
or the correction of typographical errors in, laws passed during
the preceding regular session if a petition calling for the
Legislature to convene for those purposes, signed by at least 76
members of the house of representatives and 21 members of the
senate, is filed with the presiding officers of both houses not
later than the 30th day after the last day that the governor may
file objections to bills under Section 14, Article IV, of this
constitution. The Legislature shall convene at 10 a.m. on the first
Tuesday following the 30th day after the date the petition is filed
with the presiding officers for a period not to exceed three
consecutive days. During this period the Governor may not call the
Legislature into special session and the Legislature may not
consider any subject other than the repeal of, or the correction of
typographical errors in, laws passed during the preceding regular
session. A member of either house may introduce a bill to repeal a
law, to repeal an item of appropriation in an appropriation act, or
to correct a typographical error in an act, passed during the
preceding regular session that would not otherwise change existing
law or create new law. The bill when introduced must include the
signatures of at least 76 members of the house of representatives if
the author of the bill is a representative, or at least 21 members
of the senate if the author of the bill is a senator. The bill may
not be referred to a committee of either house but shall be
considered directly by the house in which the bill was introduced
and then, if passed by that house, by the other house. The
Legislature may not amend the bill except to correct typographical
errors in the bill. If passed by both houses in the manner provided
by Section 32 of this article, the bill shall be sent to the
Governor for approval or disapproval as provided by Section 14,
Article IV, of this constitution.
SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2013.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment to authorize the
legislature on petition of its members to convene following each
regular session of the legislature to consider the repeal of or
correction of recently enacted laws."