By Jones of Lubbock                                  H.J.R. No. 123

         75R11647 JSA-D                           

                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION

 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the length of the

 1-2     term of office of a member of the house of representatives.

 1-3           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 4, Article III, Texas Constitution, is

 1-5     amended to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 4.  (a)  The Members of the House of Representatives

 1-7     shall be chosen by the qualified electors for the term of four

 1-8     years, but a new House of Representatives shall be chosen after

 1-9     every apportionment, and the Members elected after each

1-10     apportionment shall be divided by lot into two classes.  The

1-11     Members of the first class shall vacate their seats two years after

1-12     the date on which their term of office begins, and the Members of

1-13     the second class shall vacate their seats four years after the date

1-14     on which their term of office begins, so that half of the Members

1-15     will be elected biennially [two years].

1-16           (b)  Representatives shall take office following their

1-17     election, on the day set by law for the convening of the Regular

1-18     Session of the Legislature, and shall serve thereafter for the full

1-19     term of years to which elected and until their successors shall

1-20     have been elected and qualified.

1-21           (c)  Members of the House of Representatives shall be elected

1-22     to terms as provided by Subsection (a) of this section beginning

1-23     with the election of Members of the 76th Legislature, to convene in

1-24     1999.  Members of the House elected to the 76th Legislature shall

 2-1     draw lots for two-year and four-year terms as if elected after an

 2-2     apportionment.  Members of the House of Representatives of the 75th

 2-3     Legislature serve two-year terms as provided by the law in effect

 2-4     when those Members were elected.  This subsection expires January

 2-5     1, 2003.

 2-6           SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be

 2-7     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 1997.

 2-8     The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the

 2-9     following proposition:  "The constitutional amendment to provide

2-10     for four-year terms for members of the Texas House of

2-11     Representatives."