By: Rabuck H.J.R. No. 42
73R3338 JSA-D
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1-1 proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the length of the
1-2 term of office of a member of the house of representatives and
1-3 imposing term limits on members of the legislature.
1-4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Article III, Section 4, of the Texas Constitution
1-6 is amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 4. (a) The Members of the House of Representatives
1-8 shall be chosen by the qualified electors for the term of four
1-9 years, but a new House of Representatives shall be chosen after
1-10 every apportionment, and the Members elected after each
1-11 apportionment shall be divided by lot into two classes. The
1-12 Members of the first class shall vacate their seats two years after
1-13 the date on which their term of office begins, and the Members of
1-14 the second class shall vacate their seats four years after the date
1-15 on which their term of office begins, so that half of the Members
1-16 will be elected biennially <two years>.
1-17 (b) Representatives shall take office following their
1-18 election, on the day set by law for the convening of the Regular
1-19 Session of the Legislature, and shall serve thereafter for the full
1-20 term of years to which elected and until their successors shall
1-21 have been elected and qualified.
1-22 (c) Members of the House of Representatives shall be elected
1-23 to terms as provided by Subsection (a) of this section beginning
1-24 with the election of Members of the 74th Legislature, to convene in
2-1 1995. Members of the House elected to the 74th Legislature shall
2-2 draw lots for two-year and four-year terms as if elected after a
2-3 reapportionment. Members of the House of Representatives of the
2-4 73rd Legislature serve two-year terms as provided by the law in
2-5 effect when those Members were elected. This subsection expires
2-6 January 1, 2003.
2-7 SECTION 2. Article III of the Texas Constitution is amended
2-8 by adding Section 7a to read as follows:
2-9 Sec. 7a. (a) A person is not eligible to be elected to the
2-10 house of representatives if the person served as a member of the
2-11 house during all or part of the six regular sessions of the
2-12 legislature immediately preceding the date of the election.
2-13 (b) A person is not eligible to be elected to the senate if
2-14 the person served as a member of the senate during all or part of
2-15 the six regular sessions of the legislature immediately preceding
2-16 the date of the election.
2-17 (c) For an election that occurs during a regular session of
2-18 the legislature, that session is not considered as a preceding
2-19 regular session for purposes of determining a person's eligibility
2-20 under this section to be elected at that election.
2-21 (d) Legislative service before the legislature convenes in
2-22 regular session in 1995 is not counted in determining whether a
2-23 person is disqualified from election to office under this section.
2-24 SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
2-25 submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1993.
2-26 The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against
2-27 the following proposition: "The constitutional amendment to impose
3-1 term limits on members of the Texas Legislature and to provide for
3-2 four-year terms for members of the Texas House of Representatives."