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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment to require each house of the |
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legislature to take a record vote on final passage of a bill other |
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than certain local bills, of a resolution proposing or ratifying a |
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constitutional amendment, or of any other nonceremonial |
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resolution, and to publish the record vote on the Internet. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12. (a) Each house of the legislature [House] shall |
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keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish the same. |
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(b) A vote taken by either house must be by record vote with |
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the vote of each member entered in the journal of that house if the |
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vote is on final passage of a bill, a resolution proposing or |
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ratifying a constitutional amendment, or another resolution other |
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than a resolution of a purely ceremonial or honorary nature. Either |
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house by rule may provide for exceptions to this requirement for a |
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bill that applies only to one district or political subdivision of |
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this state. For purposes of this subsection, a vote on final |
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passage includes a vote on third reading in a house, or on second |
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reading if the house suspends the requirement for three readings, |
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on whether to concur in the other house's amendments, and on whether |
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to adopt a conference committee report. |
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(c) The [; and the] yeas and nays of the members of either |
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house [House] on any other question shall, at the desire of any |
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three members present, be entered on the journals. |
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(d) Each house shall make each record vote required by |
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Subsection (b) of this section that indicates the vote of each |
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member on final passage available to the public, for a reasonable |
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time as determined by that house, through the Internet or a |
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successor electronic communications system accessible by the |
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public by reference to the subject and number of the bill or |
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resolution. |
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SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2007. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment to require that a |
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record vote be taken by a house of the legislature on final passage |
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of any bill, other than certain local bills, of a resolution |
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proposing or ratifying a constitutional amendment, or of any other |
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nonceremonial resolution, and to provide for public access on the |
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Internet to those record votes." |