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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature |
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to convene following each regular session of the legislature to |
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consider the repeal of or correction of recently enacted laws. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 5(a), Article III, Texas Constitution, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The Legislature shall meet in regular session every two |
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years at such time as may be provided by law, in a session to repeal |
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or correct recently enacted laws as provided by Section 40(b) of |
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this article, and at other times when convened by the Governor. |
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SECTION 2. Section 40, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 40. (a) When the Legislature shall be convened in |
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special session, there shall be no legislation upon subjects other |
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than those designated in the proclamation of the Governor calling |
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such session, or presented to them by the Governor; and no such |
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session shall be of longer duration than thirty days. |
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(b) The Legislature shall convene to consider the repeal of, |
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or the correction of typographical errors in, laws passed during |
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the preceding regular session if a petition calling for the |
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Legislature to convene for those purposes, signed by at least 76 |
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members of the house of representatives and 21 members of the |
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senate, is filed with the presiding officers of both houses not |
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later than the 30th day after the last day that the governor may |
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file objections to bills under Section 14, Article IV, of this |
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constitution. The Legislature shall convene at 10 a.m. on the first |
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Tuesday following the 30th day after the date the petition is filed |
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with the presiding officers for a period not to exceed three |
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consecutive days. During this period the Governor may not call the |
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Legislature into special session and the Legislature may not |
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consider any subject other than the repeal of, or the correction of |
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typographical errors in, laws passed during the preceding regular |
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session. A member of either house may introduce a bill to repeal a |
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law, to repeal an item of appropriation in an appropriation act, or |
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to correct a typographical error in an act, passed during the |
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preceding regular session that would not otherwise change existing |
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law or create new law. The bill when introduced must include the |
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signatures of at least 76 members of the house of representatives if |
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the author of the bill is a representative, or at least 21 members |
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of the senate if the author of the bill is a senator. The bill may |
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not be referred to a committee of either house but shall be |
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considered directly by the house in which the bill was introduced |
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and then, if passed by that house, by the other house. The |
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Legislature may not amend the bill except to correct typographical |
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errors in the bill. If passed by both houses in the manner provided |
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by Section 32 of this article, the bill shall be sent to the |
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Governor for approval or disapproval as provided by Section 14, |
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Article IV, of this constitution. |
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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 permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment to authorize the |
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legislature on petition of its members to convene following each |
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regular session of the legislature to consider the repeal of or |
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correction of recently enacted laws." |