89R3714 JCG-D
By: Tepper H.J.R. No. 95
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment to limit the time that a
person may serve as a member of the Texas Legislature, a statewide
elected officer in the executive branch, or a state employee in the
legislative or executive branch of state government.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 7a to read as follows:
Sec. 7a. (a) A person is not eligible to be elected to the
house of representatives if, before the date of the election, the
person has served as a member of the house for eight whole regular
sessions of the legislature.
(b) A person is not eligible to be elected to the senate if,
before the date of the election, the person has served as a member
of the senate for eight whole regular sessions of the legislature.
This subsection does not prohibit a person who has served as a
member of the senate for seven whole regular sessions of the
legislature from being elected to or serving a four-year term in the
senate even though at the end of that term the person will have
served for more than eight whole regular sessions.
(c) A person is not eligible to be elected to the house of
representatives or the senate if, before the date of election, the
person has served in either chamber of the legislature for 12 whole
regular sessions of the legislature. This section does not
prohibit a person who has served in either chamber of the
legislature for 11 whole regular sessions of the legislature from
being elected to or serving a four-year term in the senate even
though at the end of that term the person will have served for more
than 12 whole regular sessions.
(d) For purposes of this section, a person is considered to
have served for one whole regular session of the legislature for
every two years the person served in an elective office listed in
Section 1, Article IV, of this constitution or any other state
office elected by the voters at a statewide election other than a
judicial office. For purposes of this subsection, "year" means 12
consecutive months.
(e) Legislative service before the legislature convenes in
regular session in 2027 is not counted in determining whether a
person is disqualified from election to office under this section.
Service in an elective office listed in Section 1, Article IV, of
this constitution, or service in any other state office elected by
the voters at a statewide election other than a judicial office,
whose term of office is completed on or before January 1, 2027, is
not counted in determining whether a person is disqualified from
election to office under this section.
SECTION 2. Article IV, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 2a to read as follows:
Sec. 2a. (a) In this section, "year" means 12 consecutive
months.
(b) A person is not eligible to be elected to an elective
office listed in Section 1 of this article or to any other state
office elected by the voters at a statewide election, other than a
judicial office, if on or before the date the person will begin to
serve in that office the person will have served for a total of 16 or
more years in those offices.
(c) For purposes of this section, a person is considered to
have served for two years in an office described by Subsection (b)
of this section for each whole regular session the person served as
a representative or senator in the legislature.
(d) Nothing in this section prohibits a person from
continuing to serve in an office covered by this section after the
end of a term as a holdover under Section 17, Article XVI, of this
constitution until a successor is qualified.
(e) Service in office before January 1, 2027, does not count
for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from
office under this section.
SECTION 3. Article XVI, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 74 to read as follows:
Sec. 74. The legislature by general law shall prohibit any
state employee from serving for a total of more than 24 years in the
legislative or executive branch of state government.
SECTION 4. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2025.
The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the
following proposition: "The constitutional amendment to limit the
time that a person may serve as a member of the Texas Legislature, a
statewide elected officer in the executive branch, or a state
employee in the legislative or executive branch of state
government."