By: Wentworth S.B. No. 1017
73R6501 JSA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to implementation of legislative budget sessions in
1-3 even-numbered years and to related changes in the date of the
1-4 primary election and other election laws.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 301.001, Government Code, is amended to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 301.001. Time of Meeting. (a) In each odd-numbered
1-9 year, the <The> legislature shall convene in regular session at 12
1-10 noon on the second Tuesday in January <of each odd-numbered year>.
1-11 (b) In each even-numbered year, the legislature shall
1-12 convene in budget session at 12 noon on the second Tuesday in
1-13 January.
1-14 SECTION 2. Section 317.003(a), Government Code, is amended
1-15 to read as follows:
1-16 (a) The governor or Legislative Budget Board may make a
1-17 proposal at any time except during a <regular or special> session
1-18 of the legislature. A proposal may apply to an appropriation that
1-19 has been made for any specified fiscal year that has not ended at
1-20 the time the proposal is made.
1-21 SECTION 3. Section 403.121(a), Government Code, is amended
1-22 to read as follows:
1-23 (a) In the statement required by Article III, Section 49a,
1-24 of the Texas Constitution the comptroller shall list outstanding
2-1 appropriations that may exist after the end of the current fiscal
2-2 year but may not deduct them from the cash condition of the
2-3 treasury or the anticipated revenues of the next fiscal year or
2-4 biennium for the purpose of certification. The comptroller shall
2-5 base the reports, estimates, and certifications of available funds
2-6 on the actual or estimated cash condition of the treasury and shall
2-7 consider outstanding and undisbursed appropriations at the end of
2-8 each fiscal year or biennium as probable disbursements of the
2-9 succeeding fiscal year or biennium in the same manner that earned
2-10 but uncollected income of a current fiscal year or biennium is
2-11 considered in probable receipts of the succeeding fiscal year or
2-12 biennium. The comptroller shall consider as probable disbursements
2-13 warrants that will be issued by the state before the end of the
2-14 fiscal year.
2-15 SECTION 4. Section 253.034(a), Election Code, is amended to
2-16 read as follows:
2-17 (a) During the period beginning on the 30th day before the
2-18 date a regular <legislative> session or budget session of the
2-19 legislature convenes and continuing through the day of final
2-20 adjournment, a person may not knowingly make a political
2-21 contribution to:
2-22 (1) a statewide officeholder;
2-23 (2) a member of the legislature; or
2-24 (3) a specific-purpose committee for supporting,
2-25 opposing, or assisting a statewide officeholder or member of the
2-26 legislature.
2-27 SECTION 5. Sections 41.007(a) and (b), Election Code, are
3-1 amended to read as follows:
3-2 (a) The general primary election date is the second Tuesday
3-3 in June <March> in each even-numbered year.
3-4 (b) The runoff primary election date is the second Tuesday
3-5 in July <April> following the general primary election.
3-6 SECTION 6. This Act takes effect when the constitutional
3-7 amendment proposed by the 73rd Legislature, providing for budget
3-8 sessions of the legislature in even-numbered years, is approved by
3-9 the voters. If that proposed constitutional amendment is not
3-10 approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.
3-11 SECTION 7. The importance of this legislation and the
3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.