| 1 | 1 | | By: Leo Wilson H.J.R. No. 109 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A JOINT RESOLUTION |
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| 7 | 7 | | proposing a constitutional amendment regarding certain |
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| 8 | 8 | | organizational and procedural matters related to the legislature. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 3, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 3. The Senators shall be chosen by the qualified voters |
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| 13 | 13 | | for the term of four years; but a new Senate shall be chosen after |
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| 14 | 14 | | every apportionment, and the Senators elected after each |
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| 15 | 15 | | apportionment shall be divided by lot into two classes. The seats |
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| 16 | 16 | | of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the |
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| 17 | 17 | | expiration of the first two years, and those of the second class at |
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| 18 | 18 | | the expiration of four years, so that one half of the Senators shall |
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| 19 | 19 | | be chosen biennially thereafter. Senators shall take office |
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| 20 | 20 | | following their election, on the day set [by law] for the convening |
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| 21 | 21 | | of the [Regular Session of the] Legislature for an organizational |
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| 22 | 22 | | session under Section 5a of this article, and shall serve |
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| 23 | 23 | | thereafter for the full term of years to which elected. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Section 4, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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| 25 | 25 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 26 | 26 | | Sec. 4. The Members of the House of Representatives shall be |
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| 27 | 27 | | chosen by the qualified voters for the term of two years. |
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| 28 | 28 | | Representatives shall take office following their election, on the |
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| 29 | 29 | | day set [by law] for the convening of the [Regular Session of the] |
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| 30 | 30 | | Legislature for an organizational session under Section 5a of this |
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| 31 | 31 | | article, and shall serve thereafter for the full term of years to |
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| 32 | 32 | | which elected. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 3. Sections 5(b) and (c), Article III, Texas |
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| 34 | 34 | | Constitution, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (b) When convened in regular session [Session], the |
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| 36 | 36 | | legislature may [first thirty days thereof shall be devoted to the |
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| 37 | 37 | | introduction of bills and resolutions, acting upon emergency |
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| 38 | 38 | | appropriations, passing upon the confirmation of the recess |
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| 39 | 39 | | appointees of the Governor and such emergency matters as may be |
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| 40 | 40 | | submitted by the Governor in special messages to the Legislature. |
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| 41 | 41 | | During the succeeding thirty days of the regular session of the |
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| 42 | 42 | | Legislature the various committees of each House shall] hold |
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| 43 | 43 | | hearings and act on [to consider all] bills and resolutions, |
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| 44 | 44 | | including appropriations, [and other matters then pending; and such |
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| 45 | 45 | | emergency matters as may be submitted by the Governor. During the |
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| 46 | 46 | | remainder of the session the Legislature shall act upon such bills |
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| 47 | 47 | | and resolutions as may be then pending and upon such] emergency |
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| 48 | 48 | | matters as may be submitted by the Governor in special messages to |
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| 49 | 49 | | the legislature, and any other matter not otherwise prohibited by |
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| 50 | 50 | | this constitution or the applicable rules of procedure adopted by |
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| 51 | 51 | | each house of the legislature [Legislature]. |
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| 52 | 52 | | (c) The speaker of the house of representatives shall |
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| 53 | 53 | | announce committee assignments not later than the second Tuesday in |
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| 54 | 54 | | January following the convening of the legislature in regular |
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| 55 | 55 | | session [Notwithstanding Subsection (b), either House may |
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| 56 | 56 | | determine its order of business by an affirmative vote of |
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| 57 | 57 | | four-fifths of its membership]. |
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| 58 | 58 | | SECTION 4. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
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| 59 | 59 | | adding Section 5a to read as follows: |
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| 60 | 60 | | Sec. 5a. (a) The legislature shall convene for an |
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| 61 | 61 | | organizational session at noon on the second Tuesday in December of |
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| 62 | 62 | | each even-numbered year. When convened for an organizational |
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| 63 | 63 | | session the legislature may take only the following actions: |
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| 64 | 64 | | (1) swearing in of members; |
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| 65 | 65 | | (2) election of officers under Section 9 of this |
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| 66 | 66 | | article; and |
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| 67 | 67 | | (3) adoption of rules of procedure under Section 11 of |
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| 68 | 68 | | this article. |
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| 69 | 69 | | (b) The number of days convened in an organizational session |
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| 70 | 70 | | under this section does not count toward the maximum duration of a |
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| 71 | 71 | | regular session under Section 24 of this article. |
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| 72 | 72 | | SECTION 5. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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| 73 | 73 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2025. |
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| 74 | 74 | | The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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| 75 | 75 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment regarding certain |
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| 76 | 76 | | organizational and procedural matters related to the legislature." |
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