By Lucio S.B. No. 1499
77R9004 JRD-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to implementation of annual legislative sessions, to
1-3 allowing for an annual budget, and to political contributions made
1-4 during a legislative session.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 301.001, Government Code, is amended to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 301.001. TIME OF MEETING. (a) In each odd-numbered
1-9 year, the [The] legislature shall convene in regular session at 12
1-10 noon on the second Tuesday in January [of each odd-numbered year].
1-11 (b) In each even-numbered year, the budget committees of the
1-12 legislature shall convene in budget session at 12 noon on the
1-13 second Tuesday in January. Other committees may convene as
1-14 necessary to consider emergency matters submitted by the governor
1-15 for the budget session.
1-16 SECTION 2. Section 317.003(a), Government Code, is amended
1-17 to read as follows:
1-18 (a) The governor or Legislative Budget Board may make a
1-19 proposal at any time except during a [regular or special] session
1-20 of the legislature. A proposal may apply to an appropriation that
1-21 has been made for any specified fiscal year that has not ended at
1-22 the time the proposal is made.
1-23 SECTION 3. Section 401.048, Government Code, is amended to
1-24 read as follows:
2-1 Sec. 401.048. ANNUAL BUDGETS. A reference in this
2-2 subchapter, [or in] Chapter 322, or other law to a biennial budget
2-3 or a regular legislative session includes [means] an annual budget,
2-4 a budget that may cover one or two fiscal years, or a [an annual]
2-5 budget session, as applicable, if a constitutional amendment is
2-6 adopted providing for annual [budget] sessions of the legislature.
2-7 SECTION 4. Section 403.121(a), Government Code, is amended
2-8 to read as follows:
2-9 (a) In the statement required by Article III, Section 49a,
2-10 of the Texas Constitution the comptroller shall list outstanding
2-11 appropriations that may exist after the end of the current fiscal
2-12 year but may not deduct them from the cash condition of the
2-13 treasury or the anticipated revenues of the next two fiscal years
2-14 [biennium] for the purpose of certification. The comptroller shall
2-15 base the reports, estimates, and certifications of available funds
2-16 on the actual or estimated cash condition of the treasury and shall
2-17 consider outstanding and undisbursed appropriations at the end of
2-18 each fiscal year [biennium] as probable disbursements of the
2-19 succeeding fiscal year [biennium] in the same manner that earned
2-20 but uncollected income of a current fiscal year [biennium] is
2-21 considered in probable receipts of the succeeding fiscal year
2-22 [biennium]. The comptroller shall consider as probable
2-23 disbursements warrants that will be issued by the state before the
2-24 end of the fiscal year.
2-25 SECTION 5. Section 253.034(a), Election Code, is amended to
2-26 read as follows:
2-27 (a) During the period beginning on the 30th day before the
3-1 date a regular [legislative] session of the legislature convenes
3-2 and continuing through the day of final adjournment, or at any time
3-3 during a budget session of the legislature, a person may not
3-4 knowingly make a political contribution to:
3-5 (1) a statewide officeholder;
3-6 (2) a member of or a candidate for election to the
3-7 legislature; or
3-8 (3) a specific-purpose committee for supporting,
3-9 opposing, or assisting a statewide officeholder or member of the
3-10 legislature.
3-11 SECTION 6. Section 253.0341(a), Election Code, is amended to
3-12 read as follows:
3-13 (a) During the period beginning on the 30th day before the
3-14 date a regular [legislative] session of the legislature convenes
3-15 and continuing through the day of final adjournment, or at any time
3-16 during a budget session of the legislature, a person not a member
3-17 of the caucus may not knowingly make a contribution to a
3-18 legislative caucus.
3-19 SECTION 7. This Act takes effect when the constitutional
3-20 amendment proposed by the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001,
3-21 providing for a budget session of the legislature in each
3-22 even-numbered year and a regular session in each odd-numbered year,
3-23 and allowing for an annual state budget, is approved by the voters.
3-24 If that proposed constitutional amendment is not approved by the
3-25 voters, this Act has no effect.