83R291 DRH-D
By: Larson H.J.R. No. 42
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment to limit the time that a
person may serve as a member of the Texas Legislature or as a
statewide elected officer in the executive branch.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 7a to read as follows:
Sec. 7a. (a) A person is not eligible to be elected to the
house of representatives if, before the date of the election, the
person has served as a member of the house during all or part of six
regular sessions of the legislature.
(b) A person is not eligible to be elected to the senate if,
before the date of the election, the person has served as a member
of the senate during all or part of six regular sessions of the
legislature. This subsection does not prohibit a person who has
served as a member of the senate during all or part of five regular
sessions of the legislature from being elected to or serving a
four-year term in the senate even though at the end of that term the
person will have served during all or part of more than six regular
sessions.
(c) Legislative service before the legislature convenes in
regular session in 2015 is not counted in determining whether a
person is disqualified from election to office under this section.
SECTION 2. Article IV, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 2a to read as follows:
Sec. 2a. (a) A person is not eligible for election or
appointment to an elective office listed in Section 1 of this
article or to any other state office elected by the voters at a
statewide election, other than a judicial office, if on the date of
the election or appointment the person has served in that office
during any part of each of 12 or more calendar years.
(b) Nothing in this section prohibits a person from
continuing to serve in an office covered by this section after the
end of a term as a holdover under Section 17, Article XVI, of this
constitution until a successor is qualified.
(c) For purposes of this section, a calendar year begins
January 1 and ends December 31.
(d) Service in office before January 1, 2015, does not count
for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from
office under this section.
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 provide for voting for or against the
following proposition: "The constitutional amendment to limit the
time that a person may serve as a member of the Texas Legislature or
as a statewide elected officer in the executive branch."