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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the election of |
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all county commissioners if the boundaries of commissioners |
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precincts change following a federal decennial census. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 18, Article V, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (b) and (d) and adding Subsection |
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(d-1) to read as follows: |
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(b) Each county shall, in the manner provided for justice of |
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the peace and constable precincts, be divided into four |
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commissioners precincts in each of which there shall be elected by |
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the qualified voters thereof one County Commissioner, who shall |
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hold his office for four years and until his successor shall be |
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elected and qualified, except as provided by Subsection (d-1) of |
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this section. The County Commissioners so chosen, with the County |
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Judge as presiding officer, shall compose the County Commissioners |
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Court, which shall exercise such powers and jurisdiction over all |
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county business, as is conferred by this Constitution and the laws |
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of the State, or as may be hereafter prescribed. |
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(d) Except as provided by Subsection (d-1), when [When] the |
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boundaries of commissioners precincts are changed, each |
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commissioner in office on the effective date of the change, or |
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elected to a term of office beginning on or after the effective date |
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of the change, shall serve in the precinct to which each was elected |
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or appointed for the entire term to which each was elected or |
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appointed, even though the change in boundaries places the person's |
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residence outside the precinct for which he was elected or |
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appointed. |
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(d-1) All commissioners shall be elected in a year in which |
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the boundaries of a county's commissioners precincts are changed |
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following the release of a federal decennial census. After |
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election, the commissioners elected shall be divided by lot into |
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two classes. The seats of the commissioners of the first class shall |
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be vacated at the expiration of the first two years, and those of |
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the second class at the expiration of four years, so that one-half |
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of the commissioners shall be chosen biennially thereafter. |
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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 provide for voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for the |
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election of all county commissioners if the boundaries of |
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commissioners precincts change following a federal decennial |
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census." |