87R3754 JRJ-D

By: Slawson H.J.R. No. 160

A JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the governor to call the legislature into special session following certain disaster or emergency declarations and specifying the powers of the legislature in those special sessions.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 8, Article IV, Texas Constitution, is amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:

(c) The Governor shall convene the Legislature in special session for the purposes described by Subsection (d):

(1) if a state of disaster or emergency declared by the Governor continues for more than 21 days; or

(2) on receipt of a petition from any member of the Legislature requesting legislative review of a state of disaster or emergency declared by the Governor if the petition is signed by at least two-thirds of the members of the house of representatives and at least two-thirds of the members of the senate.

(d) In a special session convened under Subsection (c), the Legislature may:

(1) review an order, proclamation, or other instrument issued by the Governor during the 90 days before the special session begins:

(A) declaring a state of disaster or emergency in this state; or

(B) in response to a state of disaster or emergency in this state declared by any federal, state, or local official or entity;

(2) terminate or modify an order, proclamation, or other instrument described by Subdivision (1) by passage of a resolution approved by majority vote of the members present in each house of the Legislature, which is not subject to Section 15, Article IV;

(3) respond to the state of disaster or emergency, including by:

(A) passing laws and resolutions the Legislature determines are related to the state of disaster or emergency; and

(B) exercising the powers reserved to the Legislature under Section 28, Article I; and

(4) consider any other subjects stated in the Governor's proclamation convening the Legislature.

SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 2021. The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the proposition: "The constitutional amendment requiring the governor to call the legislature into special session following certain disaster or emergency declarations and specifying the powers of the legislature in those special sessions."