| 1 | 1 | | By: Huffman, et al. S.J.R. No. 66 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (Schofield) |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | proposing a constitutional amendment to provide for the governor's |
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| 6 | 6 | | and lieutenant governor's terms of office to begin at 10 a.m. on the |
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| 7 | 7 | | day preceding the day the regular legislative session convenes. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 4, Article IV, Texas Constitution, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 4. The Governor elected at the general election in 2018 |
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| 12 | 12 | | [1974], and thereafter, shall be installed at 10 a.m. on the day |
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| 13 | 13 | | preceding the day set by law for the convening of the regular |
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| 14 | 14 | | session of the legislature [first Tuesday after the organization of |
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| 15 | 15 | | the Legislature, or as soon thereafter as practicable,] and shall |
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| 16 | 16 | | hold [his] office for the term of four years, or until a [his] |
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| 17 | 17 | | successor shall be duly installed. The Governor [He] shall be at |
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| 18 | 18 | | least thirty years of age, a citizen of the United States, and shall |
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| 19 | 19 | | have resided in this State at least five years immediately |
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| 20 | 20 | | preceding the [his] election. |
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| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 2. Section 16(a), Article IV, Texas Constitution, |
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| 22 | 22 | | is amended to read as follows: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (a) There shall also be a Lieutenant Governor, who shall be |
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| 24 | 24 | | chosen at every election for Governor by the same voters, in the |
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| 25 | 25 | | same manner, [continue in office for the same time,] and possess the |
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| 26 | 26 | | same qualifications. The voters shall distinguish for whom they |
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| 27 | 27 | | vote as Governor and for whom as Lieutenant Governor. The |
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| 28 | 28 | | Lieutenant Governor shall hold office for a term of four years. The |
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| 29 | 29 | | Lieutenant Governor shall take office following the election, at 10 |
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| 30 | 30 | | a.m. on the day preceding the day set by law for the convening of the |
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| 31 | 31 | | regular session of the legislature, and shall serve thereafter for |
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| 32 | 32 | | the full term of years to which elected. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 3. The following temporary provision is added to |
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| 34 | 34 | | the Texas Constitution: |
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| 35 | 35 | | TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies |
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| 36 | 36 | | to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature, |
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| 37 | 37 | | Regular Session, 2015, providing for the governor's and lieutenant |
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| 38 | 38 | | governor's terms of office to begin the day preceding the day the |
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| 39 | 39 | | regular legislative session convenes. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (b) The amendments to Sections 4 and 16(a), Article IV, of |
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| 41 | 41 | | this constitution apply to a person elected to the office of |
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| 42 | 42 | | governor or lieutenant governor for a term beginning on or after |
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| 43 | 43 | | January 1, 2019. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (c) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2020. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 4. (a) This proposed constitutional amendment |
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| 46 | 46 | | shall be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November |
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| 47 | 47 | | 3, 2015, only if the secretary of state certifies that an enactment |
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| 48 | 48 | | of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session: |
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| 49 | 49 | | (1) provides for the canvass of election returns for |
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| 50 | 50 | | the offices of governor and lieutenant governor by the attorney |
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| 51 | 51 | | general; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (2) was not vetoed by the governor and becomes law |
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| 53 | 53 | | contingent on adoption of this constitutional amendment by the |
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| 54 | 54 | | voters. |
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| 55 | 55 | | (b) If the secretary of state does not make a certification |
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| 56 | 56 | | under Subsection (a), this resolution has no effect. |
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| 57 | 57 | | (c) If the election on this amendment is held, the ballot |
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| 58 | 58 | | shall be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition: |
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| 59 | 59 | | "The constitutional amendment to provide for the governor's and |
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| 60 | 60 | | lieutenant governor's terms of office to begin at 10 a.m. on the day |
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| 61 | 61 | | preceding the day the regular legislative session convenes." |
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