By Wentworth                                          S.J.R. No. 35
         77R5451 DRH-D                           
                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the time for
 1-2     legislative and congressional redistricting following release of
 1-3     the federal decennial census.
 1-4           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 28, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 28. (a)  The Legislature may not enact a law
 1-8     redistricting the state's senate, representative, or congressional
 1-9     districts during the [shall, at its] first regular session after
1-10     the publication of each United States decennial census.
1-11           (b)  At the conclusion of the regular session described by
1-12     Subsection (a) of this section, the Governor shall call the
1-13     Legislature into special session, to convene not later than the
1-14     10th day after the last day of the regular session, to enact laws
1-15     to redistrict the state's senate, representative, and congressional
1-16     districts. Legislation on other subjects may not be considered in
1-17     the special session unless designated in a proclamation by the
1-18     Governor.  The special session may not exceed 60 days in duration[,
1-19     apportion the state into senatorial and representative districts,
1-20     agreeable to the provisions of Sections 25, 26, and 26-a of this
1-21     Article].
1-22           (c)  In the event the Legislature shall at the special
1-23     session described by Subsection (b) of this section [any such first
1-24     regular session following the publication of a United States
 2-1     decennial census,] fail to enact laws to redistrict the state's
 2-2     senate or representative districts [make such apportionment], that
 2-3     redistricting [same] shall be done by the Legislative Redistricting
 2-4     Board of Texas, which is hereby created, and shall be composed of
 2-5     five (5) members, as follows:  The Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker
 2-6     of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General, the
 2-7     Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Commissioner of the General
 2-8     Land Office, a majority of whom shall constitute a quorum.
 2-9           (d)  Said Board shall assemble in the City of Austin and, not
2-10     later than the 45th day after the date of the adjournment of the
2-11     special session, provide for the redistricting of the state's
2-12     [within ninety (90) days after the final adjournment of such
2-13     regular session.  The Board shall, within sixty (60) days after
2-14     assembling, apportion the state into] senatorial and representative
2-15     districts, or [into] senatorial or representative districts, as the
2-16     failure of action of the [such] Legislature may make necessary.
2-17     Such redistricting [apportionment] shall be adopted in writing and
2-18     signed by three (3) or more of the members of the Board duly
2-19     acknowledged as the act and deed of the [such] Board, and, when so
2-20     executed and filed with the Secretary of State, shall have force
2-21     and effect of law.  The Board's redistricting [Such apportionment]
2-22     shall become effective at the next succeeding state-wide general
2-23     election.
2-24           (e)  The Supreme Court of Texas shall have jurisdiction to
2-25     compel the Board [such Commission] to perform its duties in
2-26     accordance with the provisions of this section by writ of mandamus
2-27     or other extraordinary writs conformable to the usages of law.  The
 3-1     Legislature shall provide necessary funds for clerical and
 3-2     technical aid and for other expenses incidental to the work of the
 3-3     Board, and the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House of
 3-4     Representatives shall be entitled to receive per diem and travel
 3-5     expense during the Board's session in the same manner and amount as
 3-6     they would receive while attending a special session of the
 3-7     Legislature.  [This amendment shall become effective January 1,
 3-8     1951.]
 3-9           SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
3-10     submitted to the voters at an election to be held on November 6,
3-11     2001.  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against
3-12     the proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for the
3-13     redistricting of legislative and congressional districts at a
3-14     special session following the release of the federal decennial
3-15     census."