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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the form of a constitutional amendment on a ballot. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 274.001, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 274.001. FORM OF AMENDMENT ON BALLOT. (a) The [If |
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the] legislature shall [fails to] prescribe the wording of a [the] |
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proposition submitting a proposed constitutional amendment[, the |
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secretary of state shall prescribe it]. |
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(b) The proposition [prescribed by the secretary of state] |
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must describe the proposed amendment in plain language [terms] that |
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clearly expresses the [express its] scope and character of the |
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proposed amendment. |
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(c) The governor shall include the proposition in the form |
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prescribed under Subsection (a) in the proclamation ordering the |
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election at which the constitutional amendment will be submitted. |
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(d) If the legislature fails to prescribe specific wording |
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for a proposition to appear on a ballot in plain language, the |
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proposition shall not appear on the ballot. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a |
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ballot proposition for a constitutional amendment proposed by the |
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legislature on or after the effective date of this Act. A ballot |
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proposition for a constitutional amendment proposed by the |
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legislature before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
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law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, |
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and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |