78R1683 JRD-D

By:  Van de Putte                                               S.J.R. No. 50 



A JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment providing that the 
legislature shall convene in a scheduled special session once each 
even-numbered year unless the scheduled special session is canceled 
by the governor.
	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                       
	SECTION 1.  Section 5(a), Article III, Texas Constitution, 
is amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The Legislature shall meet every odd-numbered year in 
regular session [two years] at such time as may be provided by law 
and every even-numbered year to the extent provided by Section 40 of 
this article. The Legislature also shall meet [and] at other times 
when convened by the Governor.
	SECTION 2.  Section 40, Article III, Texas Constitution, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 40. (a)  When the Legislature shall be convened in 
special session, there shall be no legislation upon subjects other 
than those designated in the proclamation of the Governor calling 
such session, or presented to them by the Governor;  and no such 
session shall be of longer duration than thirty days.
	(b)  The Legislature shall convene every even-numbered year 
in a scheduled special session at the same time and date as provided 
by law for the convening of a regular session in an odd-numbered 
year unless the scheduled special session is canceled by the 
Governor by a proclamation issued at least 45 days before the 
scheduled start of the session.  A scheduled special session is 
considered to be a special session for all purposes, including for 
purposes of the limitation on legislation that may be considered 
during a special session prescribed by Subsection (a) of this 
section, except that the Legislature shall convene unless the 
scheduled special session is canceled by the Governor.
	SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be 
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2003.  
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the 
proposition:  "The constitutional amendment providing that the 
legislature shall convene in a scheduled special session once in 
each even-numbered year unless the scheduled special session is 
canceled by the governor."