A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the cancellation
 1-2     of an election to fill a vacancy in the legislature when a
 1-3     candidate is running unopposed.
 1-4           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 13, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 13. (a)  When vacancies occur in either House, the
 1-8     Governor, or the person exercising the power of the Governor, shall
 1-9     issue writs of election to fill such vacancies; and should the
1-10     Governor fail to issue a writ of election to fill any such vacancy
1-11     within twenty days after it occurs, the returning officer of the
1-12     district in which such vacancy may have happened, shall be
1-13     authorized to order an election for that purpose.
1-14           (b)  The legislature may provide by general law for the
1-15     filling of a vacancy in the legislature without an election if
1-16     only one person qualifies and declares a candidacy in an election
1-17     to fill the vacancy.
1-18           SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
1-19     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2001.
1-20     The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
1-21     proposition:  "The constitutional amendment authorizing the filling
1-22     of a vacancy in the legislature without an election if a candidate
1-23     is running unopposed in an election to fill the vacancy."
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.J.R. No. 47 was passed by the House on March
         20, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays O, 1 present, not
         voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to
         H.J.R. No. 47 on April 23, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 144,
         Nays O, 1 present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.J.R. No. 47 was passed by the Senate, with
         amendments, on April 11, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 27,
         Nays 2, 1 present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         RECEIVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                      Secretary of State