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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment to abolish the requirement |
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that certain counties continue to be divided into not fewer than |
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four precincts used to elect justices of the peace and constables. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 18(a), Article V, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Each county in the State with a population of 50,000 or |
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more, according to the most recent federal census, from time to |
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time, for the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not |
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less than four and not more than eight precincts. Each county in |
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the State with a population of 18,000 or more but less than 50,000, |
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according to the most recent federal census, from time to time, for |
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the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not less than |
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two and not more than eight precincts. Each county in the State |
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with a population of less than 18,000, according to the most recent |
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federal census, from time to time, for the convenience of the |
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people, shall be designated as a single precinct or, if the |
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Commissioners Court determines that the county needs more than one |
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precinct, shall be divided into not more than four precincts. |
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Notwithstanding the population requirements of this subsection, |
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Chambers County and Randall County, from time to time, for the |
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convenience of the people, shall be divided into not less than two |
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and not more than six precincts. A division or designation under |
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this subsection shall be made by the Commissioners Court provided |
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for by this Constitution. Except as provided by this section, in |
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each such precinct there shall be elected one Justice of the Peace |
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and one Constable, each of whom shall hold his office for four years |
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and until his successor shall be elected and qualified; provided |
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that in a county with a population of less than 150,000, according |
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to the most recent federal census, in any precinct in which there |
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may be a city of 18,000 or more inhabitants, there shall be elected |
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two Justices of the Peace, and in a county with a population of |
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150,000 or more, according to the most recent federal census, each |
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precinct may contain more than one Justice of the Peace Court. |
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[Notwithstanding the population requirements of this subsection,
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any county that is divided into four or more precincts on November
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2, 1999, shall continue to be divided into not less than four
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precincts.] |
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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 5, 2013. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment abolishing the |
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requirement that a county divided into four or more precincts on |
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November 2, 1999, continue to be divided into not fewer than four |
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precincts used to elect justices of the peace and constables." |