By: Middleton H.B. No. 309 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to a vacancy in the office of senator or representative due to excessive absence. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 301, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 301.074 to read as follows: Sec. 301.074. VACANCY DUE TO EXCESSIVE ABSENCE. A member of the legislature vacates the member's office if the member is absent from all proceedings of the house of the legislature of which the person is a member, without a leave of absence granted by that house, for 14 consecutive days on which that house meets. SECTION 2. Section 301.074, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an absence that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session.