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79R1079 JSA-D

By:  Pena                                                       H.J.R. No. 17 



A JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment to require a house or 
committee of the legislature to take a record vote on certain 
legislative measures and actions.
	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                       
	SECTION 1.  Section 12, Article III, Texas Constitution, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 12.  (a) Each House shall keep a journal of its 
proceedings, and publish the same.
	(b)  A vote taken by either House or by a committee of either 
House must be by record vote entered in the journal of the House or 
in the committee minutes, as appropriate, if the vote is on approval 
or disapproval of a bill, a measure proposing or ratifying a 
constitutional amendment, an amendment or substitute to such a bill 
or measure, the appointment or election of a legislative officer or 
other public official, or the confirmation of an appointment to 
public office; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House 
on any other question shall, at the desire of any three members 
present, be entered on the journals.
	(c)  Each House shall establish procedures to make each 
record vote required by Subsection (b) of this section available to 
the public through the Internet or a successor electronic 
communications system accessible by the general public by reference 
to the name or number of the bill, resolution, or other measure or, 
if applicable, by reference to the name of the person whose 
appointment, election, or confirmation is being considered.  The 
procedures must require the record of the vote to be made accessible 
within a reasonable time after the vote is taken.
	SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be 
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 8, 2005.  
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the 
proposition: "The constitutional amendment to require that a record 
vote be taken by a house or committee of the legislature on any 
bill, constitutional amendment, amendment to a bill or 
constitutional amendment, election or appointment of a public 
official, or confirmation of an appointment to public office, and 
to provide for public access on the Internet to those record votes."