By Cook                                               H.J.R. No. 16
       74R2008 JSA-F
                                  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, on the date of the election, the
    1-9  person has served as a member of the house during all or part of
   1-10  the seven most recent regular sessions of the legislature.
   1-11        (b)  A person is not eligible to be elected to the senate if,
   1-12  on the date of the election, the person has served as a member of
   1-13  the senate during all or part of the seven most recent regular
   1-14  sessions of the legislature.
   1-15        (c)  Legislative service before the legislature convenes in
   1-16  regular session in 1997 is not considered in determining whether a
   1-17  person is disqualified from election to office under this section.
   1-18        SECTION 2.  Article IV of the Texas Constitution is amended
   1-19  by adding Section 2a to read as follows:
   1-20        Sec. 2a.  (a)  A person is not eligible to a full or partial
   1-21  term in an elective office listed in Section 1 of this article or
   1-22  in any other state office, other than a judicial office, elected by
   1-23  the voters at a statewide election, if on the date the term begins
   1-24  the person has served in that office during any part of each of
    2-1  eight or more calendar years.
    2-2        (b)  For purposes of this section, service in more than one
    2-3  elective position on the governing board of a state agency is
    2-4  considered service in the same office.  This subsection does not
    2-5  apply to ex officio service on a governing board.
    2-6        (c)  Nothing in this section prohibits a person from
    2-7  continuing to serve in an office covered by this section after the
    2-8  end of a term as a holdover under Article XVI, Section 17, of this
    2-9  constitution until a successor is qualified.
   2-10        (d)  For purposes of this section, a calendar year begins
   2-11  January 1 and ends December 31.
   2-12        (e)  Service in office before January 1, 1997, does not count
   2-13  for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from
   2-14  office under this section.
   2-15        SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
   2-16  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 1995.
   2-17  The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against
   2-18  the following proposition:  "The constitutional amendment to limit
   2-19  the time that a person may serve as a member of the Texas
   2-20  Legislature or as an elected state officer in the executive
   2-21  branch."