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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the statewide |
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election of the speaker of the house of representatives by the |
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voters of this state. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
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adding Section 9-a to read as follows: |
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Sec. 9-a. (a) The Speaker of the House of Representatives |
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shall be elected by the qualified voters of this state at the time |
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and places of election for members of the Legislature. A person |
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elected as Speaker serves a term of two years expiring when the |
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Legislature for which the Speaker was elected ends. |
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(b) A person may not serve as Speaker of the House unless the |
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person is qualified to be elected or to serve as a member of the |
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House of Representatives. |
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(c) The Speaker of the House: |
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(1) is ineligible for any office or position for which |
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a member of the Legislature is ineligible; and |
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(2) may not be a member of the Senate or the House of |
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Representatives. |
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(d) The returns of the election for Speaker of the House |
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shall be transmitted to the Speaker pro tempore of the House in the |
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manner provided by law for the transmission of the returns for the |
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office of Governor and Lieutenant Governor to the Speaker. The |
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Legislature shall canvass the returns, and the person elected as |
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Speaker shall be determined in the manner provided by Section 3, |
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Article IV, of this constitution for the office of Lieutenant |
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Governor. The canvass of the returns and declaration of election |
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for the offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor under Section |
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3, Article IV, may not be conducted until a Speaker is elected and |
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assumes office under this subsection. |
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(e) A vacancy in the office of Speaker of the House shall be |
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filled in the same manner as a vacancy in the Legislature. The |
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Speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives serves as |
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Speaker until the vacancy is filled. The election of a member of |
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the Legislature to fill a vacancy in the office of Speaker creates a |
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vacancy in that member's legislative seat. |
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(f) The initial election for Speaker of the House shall be |
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held in 2026 for a term that begins when the person elected at that |
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election is declared elected as Speaker when the Legislature |
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convenes in 2027. This subsection expires January 1, 2030. |
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SECTION 2. Section 9(b), Article III, Texas Constitution, |
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is repealed. |
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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 4, 2025. |
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The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for the |
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statewide election of the speaker of the house of representatives |
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by the voters of this state." |