By Nelson                                              S.J.R. No. 7
         76R1503 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     six 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 six 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 five regular
1-16     sessions of the legislature from being elected to or serving a
1-17     four-year term in the senate even though at the end of that term
1-18     the person will have served during all or part of more than six
1-19     regular sessions.
1-20           (c)  Legislative service before the legislature convenes in
1-21     regular session in 2001 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 for election or
 2-2     appointment to an elective office listed in Section 1 of this
 2-3     article or any other state office elected by the voters at a
 2-4     statewide election, other than a judicial office or an office
 2-5     covered by Subsection (b) of this section, if on the date of the
 2-6     election or appointment the person has served in that office during
 2-7     any part of each of 12 or more calendar years.
 2-8           (b)  A person is not eligible for election or appointment to
 2-9     a state board, commission, or other governing body, each member of
2-10     which is elected by the voters of the entire state at a statewide
2-11     election, if on the date of the election or appointment the person
2-12     has served as a member of the board, commission, or body during any
2-13     part of each of 12 or more calendar years.
2-14           (c)  Nothing in this section prohibits a person from
2-15     continuing to serve in an office covered by this section after the
2-16     end of a term as a holdover under Section 17, Article XVI, of this
2-17     constitution until a successor is qualified.
2-18           (d)  For purposes of this section, a calendar year begins
2-19     January 1 and ends December 31.
2-20           (e)  Service in office before January 1, 2001, does not count
2-21     for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from
2-22     office under this section.
2-23           SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
2-24     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1999.
2-25     The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against
2-26     the following proposition:  "The constitutional amendment to limit
2-27     the time that a person may serve as a member of the Texas
 3-1     Legislature or as a statewide elected officer in the executive
 3-2     branch."