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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment increasing the number of state |
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senators from 31 to 41. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2. The Senate shall consist of 41 [thirty-one] |
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members. The House of Representatives shall consist of 150 |
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members. |
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SECTION 2. Section 3, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 3. The Senators shall be elected [chosen] by the |
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qualified voters for the term of four years; but a new Senate shall |
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be elected [chosen] after every apportionment, and the Senators |
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elected after each apportionment shall be divided by lot into two |
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classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall consist |
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of 20 seats and shall be vacated at the expiration of the first two |
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years. The seats of the Senators [, and those] of the second class |
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shall consist of 21 seats and shall be vacated at the expiration of |
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four years, so that one half of the Senators, as nearly as may be, |
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shall be elected [chosen] biennially thereafter. Senators shall |
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take office following their election, on the day set by law for the |
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convening of the Regular Session of the Legislature, and shall |
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serve thereafter for the full term of years to which elected. |
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SECTION 3. 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, increasing the number of state senators from |
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31 to 41. |
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(b) The increase in the number of senators as provided by |
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the constitutional amendment takes effect beginning with the |
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members of the senate of the 83rd Legislature and the primary and |
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general elections in 2012 for the election of those senators. |
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(c) Not later than the 30th day after the date of the |
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election at which the constitutional amendment increasing the |
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number of senators is approved, the governor shall convene the |
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legislature in special session to apportion the state into the |
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appropriate number of senate districts as provided by the amendment |
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for use in the election of the senators of the 83rd Legislature. If |
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the legislature fails to apportion the state into the appropriate |
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number of senate districts, the courts of this state in an |
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appropriate case may make that apportionment. |
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(d) After an apportionment under Subsection (c), a new |
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senate shall be elected as provided by Section 3, Article III, of |
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this constitution. |
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(e) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2016. |
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SECTION 4. 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 increasing the number |
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of state senators from 31 to 41." |