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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment to limit the time that a |
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person may serve as a member of the Texas Legislature or as a |
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statewide elected officer in the executive branch. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. 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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house of representatives if, before the date of the election, the |
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person has served as a member of the house during all or part of six |
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regular sessions of the legislature. |
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(b) A person is not eligible to be elected to the senate if, |
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before the date of the election, the person has served as a member |
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of the senate during all or part of six regular sessions of the |
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legislature. This subsection does not prohibit a person who has |
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served as a member of the senate during all or part of five regular |
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sessions of the legislature from being elected to or serving a |
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four-year term in the senate even though at the end of that term the |
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person will have served during all or part of more than six regular |
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sessions. |
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(c) Legislative service before the legislature convenes in |
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regular session in 2015 is not counted in determining whether a |
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person is disqualified from election to office under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Article IV, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
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adding Section 2a to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2a. (a) A person is not eligible for election or |
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appointment to an elective office listed in Section 1 of this |
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article or to any other state office elected by the voters at a |
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statewide election, other than a judicial office, if on the date of |
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the election or appointment the person has served in that office |
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during any part of each of 12 or more calendar years. |
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(b) Nothing in this section prohibits a person from |
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continuing to serve in an office covered by this section after the |
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end of a term as a holdover under Section 17, Article XVI, of this |
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constitution until a successor is qualified. |
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(c) For purposes of this section, a calendar year begins |
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January 1 and ends December 31. |
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(d) Service in office before January 1, 2015, does not count |
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for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from |
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office under this section. |
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SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2013. |
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The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the |
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following proposition: "The constitutional amendment to limit the |
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time that a person may serve as a member of the Texas Legislature or |
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as a statewide elected officer in the executive branch." |