HBA-DMH H.J.R. 66 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.J.R. 66
By: Isett
Appropriations
4/16/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In 1978, voters passed an amendment to the Texas Constitution that placed
restrictions on appropriations. Since the passage of that amendment, state
spending has continued to increase.  In some years, state spending has
increased at a faster pace than the economy.  Also, Texas is one of the few
states that has allowed its budget to grow by more than 30 percent since
1990.  As proposed, House Joint Resolution 66 requires the submission to
the voters of a constitution amendment limiting the growth of the state
budget to the rate of growth of total personal income in the state. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this resolution
does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Joint Resolution 66 amends the Texas Constitution prohibit the rate
of growth of appropriations in a biennium from all sources of revenue
except the federal government from exceeding the estimated rate of growth
of total personal income in the state. The resolution removes the provision
prohibiting the rate of growth of appropriations in a biennium from state
tax revenues not dedicated by the constitution from exceeding the estimated
rate of growth of the state's economy.  The resolution sets forth the
method of calculating the rate of growth of appropriations from the current
biennium to the next biennium. 

The resolution prohibits any bill containing an appropriation of money from
any source except the federal government from being considered as passed or
from being sent to the governor for consideration until and unless the
comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) endorses the comptroller's
certificate showing that the appropriation does not contravene the
limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations.   When the comptroller
finds an appropriation bill contains an appropriation that contravenes the
limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations, the resolution requires
the comptroller to endorse that finding on the bill, return the bill to the
house from which it originated, and immediately notify the house of
representatives and the senate of the finding.  The resolution sets forth a
temporary provision restricting the rate of growth of appropriations from
all sources of revenue except the federal government to the estimated rate
of  growth of total personal income in this state. This temporary provision
expires September 2, 2003.  

The resolution increases from a majority to two-thirds of the members of
each house the number of votes needed to adopt a resolution approved by a
record vote under certain conditions. 

FOR ELECTION

This proposed constitutional amendment shall be submitted to the voters at
an election to be held November 6, 2001.  The changes made by the
resolution apply only in relation to appropriations made for the state
fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2003, and subsequent state fiscal
biennia.