By Madden                                             H.J.R. No. 47
         77R4270 DRH-D                           
                                 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 as a candidate in an election to fill the
1-17     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."