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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment concerning the limitation on |
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the rate of growth in appropriations. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 22, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 22. (a) In no biennium shall the rate of growth of |
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appropriations subject to certification by the comptroller of |
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public accounts under Section 49a(b), Article III, of this |
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constitution, [from state tax revenues not dedicated by this
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constitution] exceed a rate equal to the sum of the rates [estimated
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rate] of increase or decrease, during the biennium preceding the |
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biennium for which the appropriations are made, [growth] of: |
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(1) the state's population; and |
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(2) inflation or deflation in this state [economy]. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) of this section, an |
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appropriation to pay for a rebate of state taxes must be excluded |
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from computations used to determine whether appropriations exceed |
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the amount authorized by that subsection. |
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(c) The rates described by Subsection (a) of this section |
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shall be determined in the manner provided by general law. If the |
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sum of those rates is a negative number, appropriations for the |
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biennium that are subject to certification by the comptroller of |
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public accounts under Section 49a(b), Article III, of this |
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constitution, may not exceed the appropriations from those sources |
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in the current state fiscal biennium. |
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(d) In this section, the rate of change of appropriations |
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that are subject to certification by the comptroller of public |
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accounts under Section 49a(b), Article III, of this constitution, |
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is the percentage difference between: |
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(1) the amount of money appropriated for the current |
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biennium from those sources as estimated in the manner prescribed |
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by law at or near the time the legislature convenes in regular |
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session during the current biennium; and |
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(2) the amount of money appropriated for the next |
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biennium from those sources as finally estimated by the comptroller |
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at the times the Acts making appropriations are considered by the |
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comptroller under Section 49a, Article III, of this constitution. |
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(e) The legislature shall provide by general law procedures |
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to implement Subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this section |
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[subsection]. |
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(f) [(b)] If the legislature by adoption of a resolution |
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approved by a record vote of three-fifths [a majority] of the |
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members of each house finds that an emergency exists and identifies |
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the nature of the emergency, the legislature may provide for |
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appropriations in excess of the amount authorized by Subsection (a) |
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of this section. The excess authorized under this subsection may |
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not exceed the amount specified in the resolution. |
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(g) [(c)] In no case shall appropriations exceed revenues |
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as provided in Section 49a, Article III, [Section 49a,] of this |
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constitution. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter, |
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amend, or repeal Section 49a, Article III, [Section 49a,] of this |
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constitution. |
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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 3, 2015. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment concerning the |
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limitation on the rate of growth in appropriations." |