Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SJR44 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R11506 MK-D
2	2	By: Hall S.J.R. No. 44
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5	5	A JOINT RESOLUTION
6	6	proposing a constitutional amendment to change the number, method
7	7	of appointment, and terms of members of the Texas Ethics Commission
8	8	and providing for the governance, purpose, and mission of the
9	9	commission.
10	10	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 24a, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
12	12	amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding
13	13	Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
14	14	(a) The Texas Ethics Commission is a state agency consisting
15	15	of the following six [eight] members:
16	16	(1) three [two] members of the same political party as
17	17	the governor, [different political parties] appointed by the
18	18	governor [from a list of at least 10 names submitted by the members
19	19	of the house of representatives from each political party required
20	20	by law to hold a primary]; and
21	21	(2) three [two] members of a political party required
22	22	by law to hold a primary that is not the political party of the
23	23	governor, [different political parties] appointed by the governor
24	24	[from a list of at least 10 names submitted by the members of the
25	25	senate from each political party required by law to hold a primary;
26	26	[(3) two members of different political parties
27	27	appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives from a list
28	28	of at least 10 names submitted by the members of the house from each
29	29	political party required by law to hold a primary; and
30	30	[(4) two members of different political parties
31	31	appointed by the lieutenant governor from a list of at least 10
32	32	names submitted by the members of the senate from each political
33	33	party required by law to hold a primary].
34	34	(b) [The governor may reject all names on any list submitted
35	35	under Subsection (a)(1) or (2) of this section and require a new
36	36	list to be submitted.] The position of presiding officer of the
37	37	commission shall rotate biennially among the members of the
38	38	commission who are from the same political party as the governor
39	39	[shall elect annually the chairman of the commission].
40	40	(c) Commission [With the exception of the initial
41	41	appointees, commission] members serve for staggered six-year
42	42	[four-year] terms. [Each appointing official will make one initial
43	43	appointment for a two-year term and one initial appointment for a
44	44	four-year term.] A vacancy on the commission shall be filled for
45	45	the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as the original
46	46	appointment. A member who has served for one term and any part of a
47	47	second term is not eligible for reappointment.
48	48	(c-1) The purpose and mission of the Texas Ethics Commission
49	49	is to achieve the following objectives:
50	50	(1) controlling and reducing the cost of elections;
51	51	(2) eliminating opportunities for undue influence
52	52	over elections and governmental actions;
53	53	(3) promoting the full disclosure of information
54	54	related to expenditures and contributions for elections and for
55	55	petitioning the government;
56	56	(4) enhancing the potential for individual
57	57	participation in electoral and governmental processes; and
58	58	(5) ensuring the confidence and trust of the public in
59	59	the government of the state.
60	60	SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to
61	61	the Texas Constitution:
62	62	TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies to
63	63	the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature,
64	64	Regular Session, 2015, to change the number, method of appointment,
65	65	and terms of members of the Texas Ethics Commission and providing
66	66	for the governance, purpose, and mission of the commission.
67	67	(b) On January 1, 2016, the terms of all of the members of
68	68	the Texas Ethics Commission expire, and the governor shall appoint
69	69	two persons to terms expiring February 1, 2017, two persons to terms
70	70	expiring February 1, 2019, and two persons to terms expiring
71	71	February 1, 2021. Thereafter, members of the Texas Ethics
72	72	Commission serve six-year terms, as provided by Section 24a(c),
73	73	Article III, of this constitution.
74	74	(c) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2017.
75	75	SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
76	76	submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2015.
77	77	The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the
78	78	proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for a
79	79	decrease in the size of the Texas Ethics Commission from eight to
80	80	six members who are appointed by the governor to serve six-year
81	81	terms, providing for the rotation of the position of presiding
82	82	officer of the commission, and providing for the purpose and
83	83	mission of the commission."