By: Eckels H.J.R. No. 56 73R1321 JSA-D A JOINT RESOLUTION 1-1 proposing a constitutional amendment to limit the time that a 1-2 person may serve in legislative office or in certain executive 1-3 offices. 1-4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article III of the Texas Constitution is amended 1-6 by adding Section 7a to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 7a. (a) A person is not eligible to be elected to the 1-8 house of representatives if, before the date of the election, the 1-9 person has served as a member of the house during all or part of 1-10 six regular sessions of the legislature. 1-11 (b) A person is not eligible to be elected to the senate if, 1-12 before the date of the election, the person has served as a member 1-13 of the senate during all or part of six regular sessions of the 1-14 legislature. This subsection does not prohibit a person who has 1-15 served as a member of the senate during all or part of five regular 1-16 sessions of the legislature from being elected to or serving a 1-17 four-year term in the senate even though at the end of that term 1-18 the person will have served during all or part of more than six 1-19 regular sessions. 1-20 (c) Legislative service before the legislature convenes in 1-21 regular session in 1995 is not counted in determining whether a 1-22 person is disqualified from election to office under this section. 1-23 SECTION 2. Article IV of the Texas Constitution is amended 1-24 by adding Section 2a to read as follows: 2-1 Sec. 2a. (a) A person is not eligible to a full or partial 2-2 term in an elective office listed in Section 1 of this article or 2-3 in any other state office, other than a judicial office, elected by 2-4 the voters at a statewide election, if on the date the term begins 2-5 the person has served in that office during any part of each of 12 2-6 or more calendar years. 2-7 (b) For purposes of this section, service in more than one 2-8 elective position on the governing board of a state agency is 2-9 considered service in the same office. This subsection does not 2-10 apply to ex officio service on a governing board. 2-11 (c) Nothing in this section prohibits a person from 2-12 continuing to serve in an office covered by this section after the 2-13 end of a term as a holdover under Article XVI, Section 17, of this 2-14 constitution until a successor is qualified. 2-15 (d) For purposes of this section, a calendar year begins 2-16 January 1 and ends December 31. 2-17 (e) Service in office before January 1, 1995, does not count 2-18 for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from 2-19 office under this section. 2-20 SECTION 3. 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 following proposition: "The constitutional amendment to limit 2-24 the time that a person may serve as a member of the Texas 2-25 Legislature or as an elected state officer in the executive 2-26 branch."