76R13675 MRB-D                          
         By Gray                                               H.J.R. No. 74
         Substitute the following for H.J.R. No. 74:
         By Merritt                                        C.S.H.J.R. No. 74
                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment to provide a four-year term
 1-2     for the commissioner of health and human services and to provide
 1-3     that the term runs concurrently with the term of the governor.
 1-4           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 30, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, is
 1-6     amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
 1-7           (e)  If the legislature establishes an office, known as the
 1-8     office of the commissioner of health and human services or known by
 1-9     any other title, that is filled by appointment by the governor and
1-10     that is the single governing office of the state agency responsible
1-11     for coordinating the planning and delivery of health and human
1-12     services by the state health and human services agencies, the
1-13     person holding that office has a term of four years running
1-14     concurrently with the term of the governor.  However, the term of
1-15     that officer expires on the date on which the governor who
1-16     appointed that officer ceases to hold office as governor.
1-17           SECTION 2.  The following temporary provision is added to the
1-18     Texas Constitution:
1-19           TEMPORARY PROVISION.  (a)  This temporary provision applies
1-20     to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 76th Legislature,
1-21     Regular Session, 1999, that provides a four-year term for the
1-22     commissioner of health and human services and that provides that
1-23     the term runs concurrently with the term of the governor.
1-24           (b)  The term of the person who holds office as the
 2-1     commissioner of health and human services on the effective date of
 2-2     that constitutional amendment expires as provided by that
 2-3     constitutional amendment.
 2-4           (c)  This temporary provision expires February 1, 2003.
 2-5           SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
 2-6     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1999.
 2-7     The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
 2-8     proposition:  "The constitutional amendment to provide a four-year
 2-9     term for the commissioner of health and human services and to
2-10     provide that the term runs concurrently with the term of the
2-11     governor."