80R1451 JSA-D

By: Carona S.J.R. No. 7

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 and to provide for public 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 or by a committee of either House must be by record vote of the yeas and nays entered in the journal of that 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 or nomination to public office; 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 establish procedures to make each record vote required by Subsection (b) of this section widely available to the public through the Internet or another suitable method.

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 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 or by another method to those record votes."