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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment requiring full payment of |
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civil penalties imposed by the Texas Ethics Commission to be |
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eligible to hold certain public elective offices. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 6, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 6. To be eligible to be a candidate for, or elected or |
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appointed to, the office of [No person shall be a] Senator, a person |
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must: |
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(1) [unless he] be a citizen of the United States; |
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(2) be, [and,] at the time of the person's [his] |
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election or appointment, a qualified voter of this State; |
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(3)[, and shall] have been a resident of this State for |
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the five years [next] preceding the [his] election or appointment; |
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(4) have been[, and the last year thereof] a resident |
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of the district for which the person would serve as a Senator for |
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the year preceding the election or appointment; |
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(5) be at least 26 [he shall be chosen, and shall have |
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attained the age of twenty-six] years of age; and |
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(6) have paid in full any civil penalty imposed by the |
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Texas Ethics Commission for which the person is liable before the |
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following date: |
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(A) for a candidate for an office, the first day |
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of the regular filing period for a candidate's application for a |
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place on the ballot; or |
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(B) for an appointee to an office, the date of |
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appointment. |
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SECTION 2. Section 7, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 7. To be eligible to be a candidate for, or elected or |
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appointed to, the office of [No person shall be a] Representative, a |
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person must: |
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(1) [unless he] be a citizen of the United States; |
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(2) be, [and,] at the time of the person's [his] |
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election or appointment, a qualified voter of this State; |
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(3)[, and shall] have been a resident of this State for |
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the two years [next] preceding the [his] election or appointment; |
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(4) have been[, the last year thereof] a resident of |
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the district for which the person would serve as a Representative |
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for the year preceding the election or appointment; |
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(5) be at least 21 [he shall be chosen, and shall have |
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attained the age of twenty-one] years of age; and |
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(6) have paid in full any civil penalty imposed by the |
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Texas Ethics Commission for which the person is liable before the |
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following date: |
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(A) for a candidate for an office, the first day |
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of the regular filing period for a candidate's application for a |
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place on the ballot; or |
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(B) for an appointee to an office, the date of |
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appointment. |
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SECTION 3. Section 4, Article IV, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 4. The Governor elected at the general election [in |
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1974, and thereafter,] shall be installed on the first Tuesday |
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after the organization of the Legislature, or as soon thereafter as |
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practicable, and shall hold that [his] office for the term of four |
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years, or until the Governor's [his] successor shall be duly |
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installed. To be eligible to be a candidate for or elected to the |
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office of Governor, a person must: |
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(1) [He shall] be at least thirty years of age; |
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(2) be[,] a citizen of the United States; |
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(3) have been a resident of[, and shall have resided |
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in] this State for the [at least] five years immediately preceding |
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the [his] election; and |
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(4) have paid in full any civil penalty imposed by the |
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Texas Ethics Commission for which the person is liable before the |
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first day of the regular filing period for a candidate's |
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application for a place on the ballot. |
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SECTION 4. Section 2(b), Article V, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) To [No person shall] be eligible to be a candidate for, |
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or elected or appointed to, [serve in] the office of Chief Justice |
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or Justice of the Supreme Court, a [unless the] person must: |
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(1) be [is] licensed to practice law in the State of |
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Texas; |
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(2) be [is], at the time of the person's election or |
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appointment, a citizen of the United States and a resident of the |
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State of Texas; |
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(3) be at least 35 [has attained the age of |
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thirty-five] years of age; |
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(4) have [has] been either: |
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(A) a practicing lawyer licensed in the State of |
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Texas for at least ten years; or |
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(B) a practicing lawyer licensed in the State of |
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Texas and judge of a state court or county court established by the |
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Legislature by statute for a combined total of at least ten years; |
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[and] |
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(5) during the time required by Subdivision (4) of |
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this subsection, have [has] not had the person's license to |
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practice law revoked, suspended, or subject to a probated |
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suspension; and |
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(6) have paid in full any civil penalty imposed by the |
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Texas Ethics Commission for which the person is liable before the |
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following date: |
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(A) for a candidate for an office, the first day |
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of the regular filing period for a candidate's application for a |
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place on the ballot; or |
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(B) for an appointee to an office, the date of |
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appointment. |
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SECTION 5. Section 7(b), Article V, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Each district judge shall be elected by the qualified |
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voters at a General Election. To be eligible for appointment or |
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election as a district judge, a person must: |
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(1) be a citizen of the United States and a resident of |
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this State; |
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(2) be licensed to practice law in this State; |
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(3) have been a practicing lawyer or a Judge of a Court |
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in this State, or both combined, for eight years next preceding the |
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judge's election, during which time the judge's license to practice |
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law has not been revoked, suspended, or subject to a probated |
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suspension; |
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(4) have resided in the district in which the judge was |
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elected for two years next preceding the election; [and] |
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(5) reside in the district during the judge's term of |
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office; and |
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(6) have paid in full any civil penalty imposed by the |
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Texas Ethics Commission for which the person is liable before the |
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following date: |
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(A) for a candidate for an office, the first day |
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of the regular filing period for a candidate's application for a |
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place on the ballot; or |
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(B) for an appointee to an office, the date of |
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appointment. |
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SECTION 6. 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 permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment requiring full payment |
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of civil penalties imposed by the Texas Ethics Commission to be |
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eligible to hold certain public elective offices." |