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."