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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment on the length of legislative |
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terms and number of years a person may serve in the legislature. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 3, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 3. (a) The Senators shall be chosen by the qualified |
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voters for the term of six [four] years; but a new Senate shall be |
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chosen after every apportionment, and the Senators elected after |
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each apportionment shall be divided by lot into two classes. The |
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seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the |
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expiration of the first four [two] years[,] and those of the second |
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class at the expiration of six [four] years[, so that one half of
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the Senators shall be chosen biennially thereafter]. |
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(b) Senators shall take office following their election, on |
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the day set by law for the convening of the Regular Session of the |
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Legislature, and shall serve thereafter for the full term of years |
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to which elected. |
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SECTION 2. Section 4, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 4. (a) The Members of the House of Representatives |
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shall be chosen by the qualified voters for the term of four [two] |
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years; but a new House of Representatives shall be chosen after |
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every apportionment, and the Members elected after each |
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apportionment shall be divided by lot into two classes. The Members |
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of the first class shall vacate their seats after the expiration of |
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two years, and the Members of the second class shall vacate their |
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seats after the expiration of four years after the date on which |
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their term of office begins, so that half of the Members will be |
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elected biennially. |
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(b) Representatives shall take office following their |
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election, on the day set by law for the convening of the Regular |
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Session of the Legislature, and shall serve thereafter for the full |
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term of years to which elected. |
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SECTION 3. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
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adding Section 7a to read as follows: |
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Sec. 7a. (a) A person is not eligible to be elected to the |
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senate if, on the date the term to which the person seeks election |
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begins, the person will have in the preceding 18 years served 12 or |
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more consecutive years as a member of the senate. |
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(b) A person is not eligible to be elected to the house of |
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representatives if, on the date the term to which the person seeks |
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election begins, the person will have in the preceding 12 years |
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served eight or more consecutive years as a member of the house. |
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(c) Legislative service before the legislature convenes in |
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regular session in 2013 is not counted in determining whether a |
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person is disqualified from election under this section. |
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(d) For purposes of this section, it is presumed that a |
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member of the legislature who seeks election to a subsequent term of |
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office will serve for the full term of office the member is |
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currently serving. |
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SECTION 4. The following temporary provision is added to |
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the Texas Constitution: |
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TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies |
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to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 82nd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2011, on the length of legislative terms and |
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number of years a person may serve in the legislature. |
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(b) Members of the legislature shall be elected to terms as |
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provided by Sections 3 and 4, Article III, of this constitution |
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beginning with the election of members of the 83rd Legislature, to |
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convene in 2013. |
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(c) This section expires January 31, 2013. |
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SECTION 5. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 8, 2011. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment changing the length of |
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legislative terms and limiting the number of years a person may |
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serve in the legislature." |