Honorable John Otto, Chair, House Committee on Appropriations
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HJR21 by Burkett (Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring that any appropriations in excess of the constitutional spending limit be approved by a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to each house of the legislature.), As Introduced
The resolution would require a two-thirds vote of the members of each house, as opposed to the current majority vote in each house, to allow the legislature to exceed the Article VIII, Section 22 spending limit. The fiscal implication to the State would depend on legislative action in relation to the limit.
The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $118,681.
The resolution proposes an amendment to the Texas Constitution concerning the limitation on the rate of growth of certain appropriations.
The proposed amendment to Section 22, Article VIII, would allow the legislature to exceed the limit with the adoption of a resolution approved by a record vote of two-thirds of the members of each house finding that an emergency exists and identifying the nature of the emergency. The excess may not exceed the amount specified in the resolution. Current law specifies a majority record vote in each house.
The fiscal implication to the State of requiring a greater percentage of members to vote to exceed the Article VIII, Section 22 spending limit would depend on legislative action in relation to the limit.
The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $118,681.
The proposed constitutional amendment would be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2015.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.