BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.J.R. 42
80R8559 DRH-D By: Patrick, Dan
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under current law, there are no term limits for legislators. Negative outcomes that have been cited by those who oppose unlimited terms for legislators include a deviation from a legislature of citizens toward a legislature of "professional politicians" and that incumbent legislators may prevent new persons and new ideas from entering the legislature.
S.J.R. 42 proposes a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on legislators, limiting a person to eight regular sessions, in whole or in part, of the legislature.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Article III, Texas Constitution, by adding Section 7a, as follows:
Sec. 7a. (a) Prohibits a person from being eligible to be elected to the legislature if the person has served as a member of the legislature during all or part of eight previous regular sessions of the legislature (regular session).
(b) Provides that a session in which a person was elected to the legislature at an election that occurs during the regular session, who was not a member of the legislature for any previous part of that regular session, is not considered as a previous regular session for purposes of determining a person's eligibility under this section to be elected at that election.
(c) Provides that legislative service before the legislature convenes in the 2009 regular session is not counted in determining whether a person is disqualified from election to office under this section.
SECTION 2. Requires this proposed constitutional amendment to be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2007. Sets forth the required language for the ballot.