Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HJR75 Compare Versions

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Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R2216 MAW-F
2	2	By: Raney H.J.R. No. 75
3	3
4	4
5	5	A JOINT RESOLUTION
6	6	proposing a constitutional amendment regarding certain
7	7	organizational and procedural matters related to the legislature.
8	8	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 3, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
10	10	amended to read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 3. The Senators shall be chosen by the qualified voters
12	12	for the term of four years; but a new Senate shall be chosen after
13	13	every apportionment, and the Senators elected after each
14	14	apportionment shall be divided by lot into two classes. The seats of
15	15	the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration
16	16	of the first two years, and those of the second class at the
17	17	expiration of four years, so that one half of the Senators shall be
18	18	chosen biennially thereafter. Senators shall take office following
19	19	their election, on the day set [by law] for the convening of the
20	20	[Regular Session of the] Legislature for an organizational session
21	21	under Section 5a of this article, and shall serve thereafter for the
22	22	full term of years to which elected.
23	23	SECTION 2. Section 4, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
24	24	amended to read as follows:
25	25	Sec. 4. The Members of the House of Representatives shall be
26	26	chosen by the qualified voters for the term of two years.
27	27	Representatives shall take office following their election, on the
28	28	day set [by law] for the convening of the [Regular Session of the]
29	29	Legislature for an organizational session under Section 5a of this
30	30	article, and shall serve thereafter for the full term of years to
31	31	which elected.
32	32	SECTION 3. Sections 5(b) and (c), Article III, Texas
33	33	Constitution, are amended to read as follows:
34	34	(b) When convened in regular session [Session], the
35	35	legislature may [first thirty days thereof shall be devoted to the
36	36	introduction of bills and resolutions, acting upon emergency
37	37	appropriations, passing upon the confirmation of the recess
38	38	appointees of the Governor and such emergency matters as may be
39	39	submitted by the Governor in special messages to the Legislature.
40	40	During the succeeding thirty days of the regular session of the
41	41	Legislature the various committees of each House shall] hold
42	42	hearings and act on [to consider all] bills and resolutions,
43	43	including appropriations, [and other matters then pending; and such
44	44	emergency matters as may be submitted by the Governor. During the
45	45	remainder of the session the Legislature shall act upon such bills
46	46	and resolutions as may be then pending and upon such] emergency
47	47	matters as may be submitted by the Governor in special messages to
48	48	the legislature, and any other matter not otherwise prohibited by
49	49	this constitution or the applicable rules of procedure adopted by
50	50	each house of the legislature [Legislature].
51	51	(c) The speaker of the house of representatives shall
52	52	announce committee assignments not later than the second Tuesday in
53	53	January following the convening of the legislature in regular
54	54	session [Notwithstanding Subsection (b), either House may
55	55	determine its order of business by an affirmative vote of
56	56	four-fifths of its membership].
57	57	SECTION 4. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
58	58	adding Section 5a to read as follows:
59	59	Sec. 5a. (a) The legislature shall convene for an
60	60	organizational session at noon on the second Tuesday in December of
61	61	each even-numbered year. When convened for an organizational
62	62	session the legislature may take only the following actions:
63	63	(1) swearing in of members;
64	64	(2) election of officers under Section 9 of this
65	65	article; and
66	66	(3) adoption of rules of procedure under Section 11 of
67	67	this article.
68	68	(b) The number of days convened in an organizational session
69	69	under this section does not count toward the maximum duration of a
70	70	regular session under Section 24 of this article.
71	71	SECTION 5. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
72	72	submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.
73	73	The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
74	74	proposition: "The constitutional amendment regarding certain
75	75	organizational and procedural matters related to the legislature."