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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment regarding the limitation on |
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the rate of growth of appropriations. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 22(a) and (b), Article VIII, Texas |
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Constitution, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The rate of growth of appropriations from all sources of |
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state revenue other than the federal government for each category |
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of state spending identified by this subsection may not in any [In
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no] biennium exceed the estimated [shall the] rate of growth in the |
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population served by expenditures in that spending category, |
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adjusted by the estimated rate of inflation in a representative set |
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of goods and services for which appropriations are made for that |
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spending category. The categories of state spending to which this |
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subsection applies are transportation, public primary and |
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secondary education, higher education, health care, public safety |
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and corrections, and other general government [of appropriations
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from state tax revenues not dedicated by this constitution exceed
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the estimated rate of growth of the state's economy]. The |
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legislature by general law may define each category of state |
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spending to which this subsection applies and shall provide [by
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general law] procedures to implement this subsection. |
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(b) If the legislature by adoption of a resolution approved |
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by a record vote of a majority of the members of each house finds |
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that an emergency exists and identifies the nature of the |
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emergency, the legislature may provide for appropriations in excess |
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of the amount authorized by Subsection (a) of this section for a |
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category of state spending. The excess amount authorized under |
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this subsection may not exceed the amount specified in the |
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resolution for the category of state spending. |
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SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to |
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the Texas Constitution: |
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TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies |
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to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 85th Legislature, |
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1st Called Session, 2017, regarding the limitation on the rate of |
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growth of appropriations. |
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(b) The amendments to Section 22, Article VIII, of this |
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constitution apply only in relation to appropriations made for the |
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state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2019, and subsequent |
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state fiscal bienniums. |
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(c) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2020. |
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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 7, 2017. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment regarding the |
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limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations." |