89R2312 TJB-D
By: Johnson S.J.R. No. 44
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment to remove the governor's
line-item veto authority.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 14, Article IV, Texas Constitution, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 14. (a) Every bill which shall have passed both houses
of the Legislature shall be presented to the Governor for his
approval. If he approve he shall sign it; but if he disapprove it,
he shall return it, with his objections, to the House in which it
originated, which House shall enter the objections at large upon
its journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such
reconsideration, two-thirds of the members present agree to pass
the bill, it shall be sent, with the objections, to the other House,
by which likewise it shall be reconsidered; and, if approved by
two-thirds of the members of that House, it shall become a law; but
in such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas
and nays, and the names of the members voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the journal of each House respectively.
(b) If any bill shall not be returned by the Governor with
his objections within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall
have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner
as if he had signed it, unless the Legislature, by its adjournment,
prevent its return, in which case it shall be a law, unless he shall
file the same, with his objections, in the office of the Secretary
of State and give notice thereof by public proclamation within
twenty days after such adjournment. [If any bill presented to the
Governor contains several items of appropriation he may object to
one or more of such items, and approve the other portion of the
bill. In such case he shall append to the Bill, at the time of
signing it, a statement of the items to which he objects, and no
item so objected to shall take effect. If the Legislature be in
session, he shall transmit to the House in which the bill originated
a copy of such statement and the items objected to shall be
separately considered. If, on reconsideration, one or more of such
items be approved by two-thirds of the members present of each
House, the same shall be part of the law, notwithstanding the
objections of the Governor. If any such bill, containing several
items of appropriation, not having been presented to the Governor
ten days (Sundays excepted) prior to adjournment, be in the hands of
the Governor at the time of adjournment, he shall have twenty days
from such adjournment within which to file objections to any items
thereof and make proclamation of the same, and such item or items
shall not take effect.]
SECTION 2. 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 permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment to remove the
governor's line-item veto authority."