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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the governor to call |
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the legislature into special session following certain disaster or |
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emergency declarations and specifying the powers of the legislature |
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in those special sessions. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 8, Article IV, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows: |
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(c) The Governor shall convene the Legislature in special |
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session for the purposes described by Subsection (d) of this |
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section: |
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(1) if a state of disaster or emergency declared by the |
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Governor continues for more than 21 days; or |
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(2) on receipt of a petition from any member of the |
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Legislature requesting legislative review of a state of disaster or |
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emergency declared by the Governor if the petition is signed by at |
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least two-thirds of the members of the house of representatives and |
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at least two-thirds of the members of the senate. |
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(d) In a special session convened under Subsection (c) of |
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this section, the Legislature may: |
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(1) review an order, proclamation, or other instrument |
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issued by the Governor during the 90 days before the special session |
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begins: |
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(A) declaring a state of disaster or emergency in |
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this state; or |
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(B) in response to a state of disaster or |
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emergency in this state declared by any federal, state, or local |
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official or entity; |
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(2) terminate or modify an order, proclamation, or |
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other instrument described by Subdivision (1) of this subsection by |
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passage of a resolution approved by majority vote of the members |
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present in each house of the Legislature, which is not subject to |
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Section 15, Article IV, of this constitution; |
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(3) respond to the state of disaster or emergency, |
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including by: |
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(A) passing laws and resolutions the Legislature |
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determines are related to the state of disaster or emergency; and |
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(B) exercising the powers reserved to the |
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Legislature under Section 28, Article I, of this constitution; and |
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(4) consider any other subjects stated in the |
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Governor's proclamation convening the Legislature. |
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SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023. |
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The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment requiring the governor |
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to call the legislature into special session following certain |
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disaster or emergency declarations and specifying the powers of the |
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legislature in those special sessions." |