By: Wilson H.J.R. No. 78 73R5805 JSA-D A JOINT RESOLUTION 1-1 proposing a constitutional amendment to establish a constitutional 1-2 revision commission and to convene a constitutional convention. 1-3 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Article XVII of the Texas Constitution is amended 1-5 by adding Section 3 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 3. (a) When the legislature convenes in regular 1-7 session in January 1995 it shall provide by concurrent resolution 1-8 for the establishment of a constitutional revision commission. The 1-9 legislature shall appropriate money to provide an adequate staff, 1-10 office space, equipment, and supplies for the commission. 1-11 (b) The commission shall study the need for constitutional 1-12 change and shall report its recommendations to the members of the 1-13 legislature not later than November 1, 1995. 1-14 (c) The members of the 74th Legislature shall be convened as 1-15 a constitutional convention at noon on the second Tuesday in 1-16 January 1996. The lieutenant governor shall preside until a 1-17 chairman of the convention is elected. The convention shall elect 1-18 other officers it determines necessary, adopt temporary and 1-19 permanent rules, and publish a journal of its proceedings. A 1-20 person elected to fill a vacancy in the 74th Legislature before 1-21 dissolution of the convention becomes a member of the convention on 1-22 taking office as a member of the legislature. 1-23 (d) Members of the convention shall receive compensation in 1-24 addition to that provided by law for service in the legislature as 2-1 determined by a five-member committee to be composed of the 2-2 governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, chief justice 2-3 of the supreme court, and chief justice of the court of criminal 2-4 appeals. The convention may provide for the expenses of its 2-5 members and for the employment of a staff for the convention. For 2-6 these purposes the convention by resolution may appropriate money 2-7 from the general revenue fund of the state treasury. Warrants 2-8 shall be drawn pursuant to vouchers signed by the chairman or by a 2-9 person authorized by him in writing to sign them. 2-10 (e) The convention by resolution adopted on the vote of at 2-11 least two-thirds of its members may submit for a vote of the 2-12 qualified electors of this state a new constitution, which may 2-13 contain alternative articles or sections, or may submit revisions 2-14 of the existing constitution, which may contain alternative 2-15 articles or sections. Each resolution shall specify the date of 2-16 the election, the form of the ballots, and the method of 2-17 publicizing the proposals to be voted on. To be adopted, each 2-18 proposal must receive the favorable vote of a majority of those 2-19 voting on the proposal. The conduct of the election, the 2-20 canvassing of the votes, and the reporting of the returns shall be 2-21 as provided for elections under Section 1 of this article. 2-22 (f) The convention may be dissolved by resolution adopted on 2-23 the vote of at least two-thirds of its members; but it is 2-24 automatically dissolved at 11:59 p.m. on May 31, 1996, unless its 2-25 duration is extended for a period not to exceed 60 days by 2-26 resolution adopted on the vote of at least two-thirds of its 2-27 members. 3-1 (g) The convention may not propose any deletion or amendment 3-2 of Article I of this constitution as Article I exists on the date 3-3 the convention convenes, and Article I as it exists on that date 3-4 shall be retained in full, except as amended under Section 1 of 3-5 this article. 3-6 (h) This section expires January 1, 1999. 3-7 SECTION 2. Article XVII, Section 2, of the Texas 3-8 Constitution is repealed. 3-9 SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be 3-10 submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1993. 3-11 The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against 3-12 the following proposition: "The constitutional amendment to 3-13 convene a constitutional convention to revise the Texas 3-14 Constitution."