By: Branch, et al. Senate Sponsor-Carona H.J.R. No. 19

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 18, 2007; April 19, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Administration; May 1, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 1, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.J.R. No. 19 By: Seliger

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment to require a house of the legislature to take a record vote on certain legislative measures and actions and to provide for public Internet access to those record votes.

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 must be by record vote of the yeas and nays entered in the journal of that House if the vote is on approval or disapproval of a bill, approval or disapproval of a measure proposing or ratifying a constitutional amendment, approval or disapproval of an amendment or substitute to such a bill or measure if any member objects to adoption of the amendment, or the confirmation of an appointment or nomination to public office. Either House by rule may provide for exceptions to the preceding requirement for a bill, or an amendment or substitute to a bill, that applies only to one district or political subdivision of this state. In addition, [; and] the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any other question before that House shall, at the desire of any three members present, be entered on the journals.

(c) Each House shall make each record vote required under Subsection (b) of this section, including the vote of each individual member as recorded in the journal of that House, available to the public for a reasonable period of not less than two years through the Internet or a successor electronic communications system accessible by the public. For a record vote on a bill or on a measure proposing or ratifying a constitutional amendment, the record vote must be accessible to the public by reference to the designated number of the bill or measure and by reference to its subject.

SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2007. 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 of the legislature on a bill, constitutional amendment, amendment to a bill or constitutional amendment, or confirmation of an appointment to public office, and to provide for public access on the Internet to those record votes."

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