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RESOLUTION ANALYSIS

 

 

 

S.J.R. 66

By: Huffman

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

The Texas Constitution currently requires the terms of office of the governor and the lieutenant governor to begin the first Tuesday after the organization of the legislature or as soon as practicable after that day. Interested parties suggest that the work of the governor and lieutenant governor is impeded by this delayed start date. S.J.R. 66 seeks to address this issue by providing for the governor's and lieutenant governor's terms of office to begin on a certain earlier date.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this resolution does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this resolution does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

S.J.R. 66 proposes an amendment to the Texas Constitution to bring forward the installation of the governor from the first Tuesday after the organization of the legislature or as soon as practicable after that day to 10 a.m. on the day preceding the day set by law for the convening of the regular session of the legislature. The resolution requires the lieutenant governor, following the general election, to take office at 10 a.m. on the day preceding the day set by law for the convening of the regular session of the legislature and requires the lieutenant governor to serve thereafter for the full term of years to which elected. The resolution requires the lieutenant governor to serve a term of four years and removes a provision requiring the lieutenant governor to continue in office for the same time as the governor.

 

S.J.R. 66 adds a temporary provision, set to expire January 1, 2020, establishing that its provisions apply to a person elected to the office of governor or lieutenant governor for a term beginning on or after January 1, 2019.

 

ELECTION DATE

 

The constitutional amendment proposed by this joint resolution will be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2015, only if the secretary of state certifies that an enactment of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, provides for the canvass of election returns for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor by the attorney general and the amendment was not vetoed by the governor and becomes law contingent on adoption of this constitutional amendment by the voters.