By:  Junell                                           H.J.R. No. 26
       73R6 SHS-D
                                  A JOINT RESOLUTION
    1-1  proposing a constitutional amendment to allow a district, county,
    1-2  or precinct officer to become a candidate for another district,
    1-3  county, or precinct office without resigning from the first office.
    1-4        BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Article XVI, Section 65, of the Texas
    1-6  Constitution is amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 65.  Staggering Terms of Office--The following officers
    1-8  elected at the General Election in November, 1954, and thereafter,
    1-9  shall serve for the full terms provided in this Constitution:
   1-10        (a)  District Clerks; (b) County Clerks; (c) County Judges;
   1-11  (d) Judges of County Courts at Law, County Criminal Courts, County
   1-12  Probate Courts and County Domestic Relations Courts; (e) County
   1-13  Treasurers; (f) Criminal District Attorneys; (g) County Surveyors;
   1-14  (h) Inspectors of Hides and Animals; (i) County Commissioners for
   1-15  Precincts Two and Four; (j) Justices of the Peace.
   1-16        Notwithstanding other provisions of this Constitution, the
   1-17  following officers elected at the General Election in November,
   1-18  1954, shall serve only for terms of two (2) years:  (a) Sheriffs;
   1-19  (b) Assessors and Collectors of Taxes; (c) District Attorneys; (d)
   1-20  County Attorneys; (e) Public Weighers; (f) County Commissioners for
   1-21  Precincts One and Three; (g) Constables.  At subsequent elections,
   1-22  such officers shall be elected for the full terms provided in this
   1-23  Constitution.
   1-24        In any district, county or precinct where any of the
    2-1  aforementioned offices is of such nature that two (2) or more
    2-2  persons hold such office, with the result that candidates file for
    2-3  "Place No. 1," "Place No. 2," etc., the officers elected at the
    2-4  General Election in November, 1954, shall serve for a term of two
    2-5  (2) years if the designation of their office is an uneven number,
    2-6  and for a term of four (4) years if the designation of their office
    2-7  is an even number.  Thereafter, all such officers shall be elected
    2-8  for the terms provided in this Constitution.
    2-9        If <Provided, however, if> any of the officers named herein
   2-10  shall announce their candidacy, or shall in fact become a
   2-11  candidate, in any General, Special or Primary Election, for any
   2-12  office of profit or trust under the laws of this State or the
   2-13  United States other than an office to which this section applies
   2-14  <the office then held>, at any time when the unexpired term of the
   2-15  office then held shall exceed one (1) year, such announcement or
   2-16  such candidacy shall constitute an automatic resignation of the
   2-17  office then held, and the vacancy thereby created shall be filled
   2-18  pursuant to law in the same manner as other vacancies for such
   2-19  office are filled.
   2-20        SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
   2-21  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1993.
   2-22  The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against
   2-23  the proposition:  "The constitutional amendment allowing a
   2-24  district, county, or precinct officer to become a candidate for
   2-25  another district, county, or precinct office without resigning from
   2-26  the first office."