| 1 | 1 | | 84R209 ADM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: White of Tyler H.J.R. No. 44 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A JOINT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | proposing a constitutional amendment to require that proposed |
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| 7 | 7 | | constitutional amendments be approved by a majority of the voters |
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| 8 | 8 | | in at least half of the counties of this state. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 1(c), Article XVII, Texas Constitution, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (c) The election shall be held in accordance with procedures |
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| 13 | 13 | | prescribed by the Legislature, and the returning officer in each |
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| 14 | 14 | | county shall make returns to the Secretary of State of the number of |
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| 15 | 15 | | legal votes cast at the election for and against each amendment. If |
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| 16 | 16 | | it appears from the returns that a majority of the votes cast have |
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| 17 | 17 | | been cast in favor of an amendment, and that in at least half of the |
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| 18 | 18 | | counties in this state a majority of the votes cast have been cast |
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| 19 | 19 | | in favor of the amendment, it shall become a part of this |
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| 20 | 20 | | Constitution, and proclamation thereof shall be made by the |
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| 21 | 21 | | Governor. |
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| 22 | 22 | | SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to |
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| 23 | 23 | | the Texas Constitution: |
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| 24 | 24 | | TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies |
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| 25 | 25 | | to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature, |
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| 26 | 26 | | Regular Session, 2015, relating to requiring that future |
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| 27 | 27 | | constitutional amendments become effective if approved by a |
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| 28 | 28 | | majority of voters in the state and by a majority of voters in at |
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| 29 | 29 | | least half of the counties of the state. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) The amendment to Section 1(c), Article XVII, of this |
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| 31 | 31 | | constitution takes effect January 1, 2016. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (c) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2017. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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| 34 | 34 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2015. |
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| 35 | 35 | | The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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| 36 | 36 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment to require that future |
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| 37 | 37 | | constitutional amendments become effective if approved by a |
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| 38 | 38 | | majority of voters in the state and by a majority of voters in at |
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| 39 | 39 | | least half of the counties of the state." |
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