BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        S.J.R. 54
                                                         By: Cain
                                                    State Affairs
                                                          4-22-95
                                     Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Currently, the legislature is not permitted to submit alternative
questions to the voters for a constitutional amendment.  The voters
are only permitted to choose whether they are for or against a
particular amendment.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.J.R. 54 requires the submission to the voters of a
constitutional amendment providing for submitting certain
legislation to the voters for their approval.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article III, Texas Constitution, by adding
Section 39a, as follows:

     Sec. 39a.  (a)  Authorizes the legislature to submit a
     proposed statute to the voters and make the enactment of the
     statute into law subject to the approval of the voters.
     
     (b)  Authorizes the legislature to submit alternative
       proposals for a statute and provide that the measure
       receiving the highest number of votes in the election held
       on the issue shall prevail over any other, provided that in
       all cases a measure must receive at least a majority of the
       votes cast in the election in order to be adopted.
       
       (c)  Requires a statute or statutes to be submitted to the
       voters to be approved by a vote of two-thirds of all the
       members elected to each house of the legislature, entered by
       yeas and nays on the journals.
       
       (d)  Prohibits a measure submitted to the voters under this
       section from being subject to veto by the governor.
       
       (e)  Requires a brief explanatory statement of the proposed
       statute, together with the date of the election and the
       wording of the proposition as it is to appear on the ballot,
       to be published in the same manner as the statements
       required for proposed amendments to this constitution.
       
       (f)  Sets forth the process for a joint resolution.
       
       (g)  Requires a two-thirds vote of the members of both
       houses of the legislature to be required to amend or repeal
       the statute during the last five years.
       
SECTION 2. Requires this proposed constitutional amendment to be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 1995. 
Sets forth the required language for the ballot.