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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to proposing a referendum to the people of the State of |
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Texas on the question of whether this state should reassert its |
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status as an independent nation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) At the general election to be held November |
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7, 2023, the voters shall be permitted to vote in a referendum on |
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the question of whether this state should reassert its status as an |
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independent nation. |
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(b) Notice of the election shall be given by inclusion of |
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the proposition in the proclamation by the governor ordering an |
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election on any proposed constitutional amendment to the state |
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constitution and in the notice of that election given by each county |
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judge, or, if no constitutional amendment is proposed, the governor |
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shall order and each county judge shall give notice for an election |
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proposing the referendum required by this section. |
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(c) The proposition shall be printed on the ballot above any |
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proposed constitutional amendment under the heading: "Referendum |
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Proposition." |
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(d) The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or |
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against the proposition: "Should the State of Texas reassert its |
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status as an independent nation?" |
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(e) Returns of the votes cast on the proposition shall be |
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prepared and canvassed in the same manner as the returns on a |
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proposed constitutional amendment. |
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(f) Immediately after the results of the election are |
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certified by the governor, the secretary of state shall transmit a |
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copy of the certification to the lieutenant governor, the speaker |
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of the house of representatives, and each member of the |
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legislature. |
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(g) The referendum proposed under this section is |
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nonbinding on any decision of the legislature following the |
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submission of the report required by Section 2(i) of this Act. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The secretary of state shall immediately |
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transmit a copy of the governor's certification of the result of the |
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referendum required under Section 1 of this Act to: |
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(1) the president of the United States; |
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(2) the speaker of the House of Representatives and |
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the president of the Senate of the Congress of the United States; |
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and |
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(3) the members of the Texas delegation to the |
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Congress of the United States. |
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(b) The Texas Independence Committee is a joint interim |
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committee established to study and make recommendations regarding |
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the most effective and expeditious method by which Texas may be |
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returned to its status as an independent nation. |
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(c) The committee shall consider: |
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(1) recommendations for amending the Constitution of |
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Texas to accommodate the needs of an independent nation, including: |
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(A) the creation of new elected and appointed |
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offices; |
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(B) the modification of the powers, functions, |
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and titles of existing offices; |
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(C) the renaming of the State of Texas to the |
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Republic of Texas; |
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(D) the removal of unnecessary or undesirable |
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provisions that exist solely as a consequence of Texas' status as a |
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state within the United States of America; and |
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(E) the identification of fundamental rights |
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enumerated by the Constitution of the United States of America that |
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may not be adequately preserved in the Constitution of Texas; |
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(2) recommendations for amending Texas statutes to |
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accommodate the needs of an independent nation, including: |
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(A) the creation of new agencies; |
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(B) the modification of the powers, functions, |
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and names of existing agencies; and |
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(C) the identification of necessary and |
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desirable functions of government that are provided for under the |
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statutory law of the United States of America but not adequately |
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described in Texas statute; |
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(3) recommendations regarding transitional issues |
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which must be negotiated with the government of the United States of |
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America, including: |
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(A) any necessary or desirable changes in federal |
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law; |
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(B) the determination of citizenship of |
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residents of Texas; |
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(C) the disposition of the property and assets of |
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the United States of America currently in Texas; |
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(D) a temporary currency union; |
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(E) a free trade agreement; |
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(F) a common travel agreement; |
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(G) the status of Texans currently serving in the |
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armed forces of the United States of America; |
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(H) any necessary disposition of the Texas |
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portion of the national debt of the United States of America; |
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(I) a collective defense arrangement; |
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(J) a postal agreement; |
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(K) the payment of pensions to Texans who have |
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vested in the pension programs of the United States of America and |
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its subnational governments; |
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(L) a social security totalization agreement; |
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and |
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(M) any other transitional issues that the |
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committee may identify; and |
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(4) recommendations regarding any international |
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convention or multilateral agreement to which an independent Texas |
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may become a party in order to benefit the people of Texas or ensure |
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minimal disruption during a transition period. |
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(d) In addition to considering the issues described under |
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Subsection (c) of this section, the committee shall include within |
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its report required under Subsection (i) of this section a strategy |
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for achieving Texas independence not later than 24 months after the |
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date the results of the referendum election required under Section |
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1 of this Act are certified by the governor. |
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(e) The committee is composed of: |
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(1) the lieutenant governor; |
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(2) the speaker of the house of representatives; |
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(3) four senators appointed by the lieutenant |
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governor, one of whom must be the chair of the senate committee on |
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state affairs; and |
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(4) four members of the house of representatives |
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appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one of |
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whom must be the chair of the house committee on state affairs. |
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(f) The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall serve as co-chairs of the committee. |
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(g) The committee shall convene at the call of the |
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co-chairs. |
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(h) The committee has all other powers and duties provided |
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to a special or select committee by the rules of the senate and |
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house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government |
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Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees on |
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administration. |
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(i) Not later than December 31, 2024, the committee shall |
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report the committee's findings and recommendations to the |
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legislature. |
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(j) The committee is abolished and this Act expires January |
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1, 2025. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Section 2 of this Act takes effect on |
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December 7, 2023, but only if the referendum proposed by the 88th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, on the question of whether this |
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state should reassert its status as an independent nation is |
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approved by the voters. If that referendum is not approved by the |
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voters, Section 2 has no effect. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (a) of this section, |
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this Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |