By Chisum H.J.R. No. 2 77R5553 PAM-D A JOINT RESOLUTION 1-1 proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing a commissioners 1-2 court of a county to declare the office of constable in certain 1-3 precincts dormant and providing a procedure for reinstatement of 1-4 the office. 1-5 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 18, Article V, Texas Constitution, is 1-7 amended by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: 1-8 (h) The commissioners court of a county may declare the 1-9 office of constable in a precinct dormant if at least eight 1-10 consecutive years have passed since the end of the term of the 1-11 person who was last elected or appointed to the office. If an 1-12 office of constable is declared dormant, the office may not be 1-13 filled by election or appointment and the previous officeholder 1-14 does not continue to hold the office under Subsection (a) of this 1-15 section or Section 17, Article XVI, of this constitution. The 1-16 records of an office of constable declared dormant are transferred 1-17 to the county clerk of the county. The commissioners court may 1-18 reinstate an office of constable declared dormant by vote of the 1-19 commissioners court or by calling an election in the precinct to 1-20 reinstate the office. The commissioners court shall call an 1-21 election to reinstate the office if the commissioners court 1-22 receives a petition signed by at least 10 percent of the qualified 1-23 voters of the precinct. If an election is called under this 1-24 subsection, the commissioners court shall order the ballot for the 2-1 election to be printed to permit voting for or against the 2-2 proposition: "Reinstating the office of Constable of Precinct No. 2-3 ____ that was previously declared dormant." The office of 2-4 constable is reinstated if a majority of the voters of the precinct 2-5 voting on the question at the election approve the reinstatement. 2-6 SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be 2-7 submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2002. 2-8 The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the 2-9 proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the 2-10 commissioners court of a county to declare the office of constable 2-11 in a precinct to be dormant if the office has not been filled by 2-12 election or appointment for a lengthy period and providing a 2-13 procedure for the reinstatement of the office."