By Tillery                                            H.J.R. No. 40
         76R2194 JSA-D                           
                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment restricting when an increase
 1-2     in the compensation of members of the legislature and other elected
 1-3     state officers may take effect.
 1-4           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 24a(f), Article III, Texas Constitution,
 1-6     is amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (f)  At each general election for state and county officers
 1-8     following a proposed change in salary, the voters shall approve or
 1-9     disapprove the salary recommended by the commission if the
1-10     commission recommends a change in salary.  If the voters disapprove
1-11     the salary, the salary continues at the amount paid immediately
1-12     before disapproval until another amount is recommended by the
1-13     commission and approved by the voters.  If the voters approve the
1-14     salary, the approved salary takes effect at the beginning of the
1-15     next regular term of each affected office that begins after the
1-16     date of the election  [January 1 of the next odd-numbered year].
1-17     For each affected office, the salary for the remainder of the term
1-18     being served on the date of the  election continues at the amount
1-19     paid immediately before the election.
1-20           SECTION 2.  Section 61-a, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
1-21     amended to read as follows:
1-22           Sec. 61-a.  (a)  The Legislature shall not fix the salary of
1-23     the Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller of  Public Accounts,
1-24     Commissioner of the General Land Office, or Secretary of State at a
 2-1     sum less than that fixed for such officials in the Constitution on
 2-2     January 1, 1953.
 2-3           (b)  An increase in the compensation of a state office that
 2-4     is filled by statewide election may not be given effect during the
 2-5     term of office being served when the increase is adopted, except
 2-6     that for a governing body or court having more than one position to
 2-7     which this subsection applies, an increase in the compensation of
 2-8     all the members of the governing body or court may be given effect
 2-9     at the beginning of the next regular term of office for one or more
2-10     of its members that begins after the increase is adopted.  For
2-11     purposes of this subsection, an increase in compensation made by an
2-12     act of the legislature, including an appropriation act, is
2-13     considered to be adopted when the act is approved by the governor
2-14     or becomes law without the approval of the governor under Section
2-15     14, Article IV, of this constitution.
2-16           SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
2-17     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1999.
2-18     The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
2-19     proposition: "The constitutional amendment to prohibit an increase
2-20     in the compensation of members of the legislature or statewide
2-21     elective officers until the beginning of the next term of office."