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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment to require that a record vote |
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be taken by a house of the legislature on second reading of a bill or |
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resolution for which a record vote is currently required on final |
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passage and on adoption of an amendment or substitute to such a bill |
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or resolution, and that a vote taken by a legislative committee on |
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such a bill or resolution or on an amendment or substitute to such a |
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bill or resolution be by record vote. |
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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 by amending Subsections (b) and (d) and adding Subsection |
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(e) to read as follows: |
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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 second reading or final passage of a bill, a resolution |
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proposing or ratifying a constitutional amendment, or another |
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resolution other than a resolution of a purely ceremonial or |
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honorary nature, or if the vote is on adoption of an amendment or |
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substitute to such a bill or resolution. Either house by rule may |
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provide for exceptions to this requirement for a bill that applies |
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only to one district or political subdivision of this state. For |
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purposes of this subsection, a vote on final passage includes a vote |
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on third reading [in a house, or on second reading if the house
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suspends the requirement for three readings], a vote on whether to |
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concur in the other house's amendments, and a vote on whether to |
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adopt a conference committee report. |
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(d) A vote taken by a committee of either house of the |
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legislature on whether to report a bill or resolution for which a |
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record vote would be required by Subsection (b), or on whether to |
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adopt an amendment or substitute to such a bill or resolution, must |
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be by record vote, with the vote of each member entered in the |
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minutes of the committee. Either house by rule may provide for |
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exceptions to this requirement for a bill that applies only to one |
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district or political subdivision of this state. |
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(e) Each house shall make each record vote required under |
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Subsection (b) or (d) of this section, including the vote of each |
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individual member as recorded in the journal of that house or in the |
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committee minutes, available to the public for a reasonable period |
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of not less than two years through the Internet or a successor |
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electronic communications system accessible by the public. For a |
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record vote on a bill or on a resolution proposing or ratifying a |
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constitutional amendment, the record vote must be accessible to the |
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public by reference to the designated number of the bill or |
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resolution and by reference to its subject. |
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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 3, 2009. |
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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 record |
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vote be taken by a house of the legislature on second reading of a |
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bill or resolution for which a record vote is currently required on |
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final passage and on adoption of an amendment or substitute to such |
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a bill or resolution, and that a vote taken by a legislative |
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committee on such a bill or resolution or on an amendment or |
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substitute to such a bill or resolution be by record vote." |