By Howard H.J.R. No. 81 75R6543 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 elective 1-3 executive offices. 1-4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by 1-6 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 four 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 four 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 three 1-16 regular sessions of the legislature from being elected to or 1-17 serving a four-year term in the senate even though at the end of 1-18 that term the person will have served during all or part of more 1-19 than four regular sessions. 1-20 (c) Legislative service before the legislature convenes in 1-21 regular session in 1999 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, Texas Constitution, is amended by 1-24 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 or an 2-4 office covered by Subsection (b) of this section, elected by the 2-5 voters at a statewide election, if on the date the term begins the 2-6 person has served in that office during any part of each of eight 2-7 or more calendar years. 2-8 (b) A person is not eligible to a full or partial term as a 2-9 member of a state board, commission, or other governing body, each 2-10 member of which is elected by the voters of the entire state at a 2-11 statewide election, if on the date the term begins the person has 2-12 served as a member of the board, commission, or body during any 2-13 part of each of 12 or more calendar years. This subsection does 2-14 not apply to a court. 2-15 (c) Nothing in this section prohibits a person from 2-16 continuing to serve in an office covered by this section after the 2-17 end of a term as a holdover under Section 17, Article XVI, of this 2-18 constitution until a successor is qualified. 2-19 (d) For purposes of this section, a calendar year begins 2-20 January 1 and ends December 31. 2-21 (e) Service in office before January 1, 1999, does not count 2-22 for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from 2-23 office under this section. 2-24 SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be 2-25 submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 1997. 2-26 The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against 2-27 the proposition: "The constitutional amendment to impose term 3-1 limits on members of the Texas Legislature and on statewide elected 3-2 officers in the executive branch."