Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SJR11 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R1234 JJT-F
2	2	By: Perry S.J.R. No. 11
3	3
4	4
5	5	A JOINT RESOLUTION
6	6	proposing a constitutional amendment regarding the maximum amount
7	7	of appropriations for a state fiscal biennium.
8	8	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 22, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is
10	10	amended to read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 22. (a) The amount [In no biennium shall the rate of
12	12	growth] of appropriations from the state treasury for a fiscal
13	13	biennium may not [tax revenues not dedicated by this constitution]
14	14	exceed the maximum amount determined in accordance with Subsection
15	15	(c) of this section and general law [estimated rate of growth of the
16	16	state's economy].
17	17	(b) The maximum rate of growth of appropriations from the
18	18	state treasury for a fiscal biennium, as compared to the preceding
19	19	fiscal biennium, is the lesser of:
20	20	(1) a rate equal to the sum of:
21	21	(A) the estimated rate of growth of this state's
22	22	population; and
23	23	(B) the estimated rate of monetary inflation in
24	24	this state; or
25	25	(2) the estimated rate of growth of personal income of
26	26	this state's residents.
27	27	(c) The amount of permissible appropriations may not exceed
28	28	an amount determined by multiplying the amount of appropriations
29	29	for the then-current fiscal biennium by the sum of one plus the
30	30	maximum rate of growth determined under Subsection (b) of this
31	31	section.
32	32	(d) The legislature shall provide by general law procedures
33	33	to implement this section [subsection].
34	34	(e) [(b)] If the legislature, by adoption on a record vote
35	35	of a resolution approved by two-thirds [a record vote of a majority]
36	36	of the members of each house, finds that an emergency exists and
37	37	identifies the nature of the emergency, the legislature may provide
38	38	for appropriations in excess of the maximum permissible amount of
39	39	appropriations authorized under [by] Subsection (c) [(a)] of this
40	40	section. The total of the excess appropriations authorized by
41	41	resolutions approved under this subsection may not exceed the total
42	42	of the amounts [amount] specified in those resolutions [the
43	43	resolution].
44	44	(f) [(c)] In no case shall appropriations exceed revenues
45	45	as provided in Article III, Section 49a, of this constitution.
46	46	Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter, amend, or
47	47	repeal Article III, Section 49a, of this constitution.
48	48	SECTION 2. Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
49	49	amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
50	50	(c) A bill containing an appropriation may not be considered
51	51	as passed and may not be sent to the Governor for consideration
52	52	until the Comptroller of Public Accounts endorses on the bill the
53	53	Comptroller's certificate showing that the amount appropriated
54	54	does not exceed the maximum amount of permissible appropriations
55	55	for that fiscal biennium authorized under Section 22, Article VIII,
56	56	of this constitution.
57	57	(d) When the Comptroller of Public Accounts finds that a
58	58	bill containing an appropriation exceeds the maximum amount of
59	59	permissible appropriations for that fiscal biennium authorized
60	60	under Section 22, Article VIII, of this constitution, the
61	61	Comptroller shall:
62	62	(1) endorse on the bill that finding;
63	63	(2) return the bill to the House in which it
64	64	originated; and
65	65	(3) notify immediately the House of Representatives
66	66	and the Senate of the finding.
67	67	SECTION 3. The following temporary provision is added to
68	68	the Texas Constitution:
69	69	TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies
70	70	to the amendments to Section 49a, Article III, of this constitution
71	71	and Section 22, Article VIII, of this constitution, as proposed by
72	72	the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, regarding the maximum
73	73	amount of appropriations for a state fiscal biennium.
74	74	(b) Sections 49a(c) and (d), Article III, of this
75	75	constitution apply only in relation to bills containing
76	76	appropriations for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1,
77	77	2017, and subsequent state fiscal bienniums.
78	78	(c) Section 22, Article VIII, of this constitution, as
79	79	amended, applies only in relation to appropriations made for the
80	80	state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2017, and subsequent
81	81	state fiscal bienniums. Appropriations for the state fiscal
82	82	biennium that began September 1, 2015, are governed by Section 22,
83	83	Article VIII, of this constitution as that section provided
84	84	immediately before the amendment of that section was approved by
85	85	the voters.
86	86	(d) This temporary provision expires December 1, 2017.
87	87	SECTION 4. (a) This proposed constitutional amendment
88	88	shall be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November
89	89	3, 2015.
90	90	(b) The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or
91	91	against the proposition: "The constitutional amendment regarding
92	92	the maximum amount of appropriations for a state fiscal biennium."