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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment regarding the terminology |
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used in the Texas Constitution to refer to the partially landlocked |
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body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North American |
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continent. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 33, Article I, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33. PUBLIC ACCESS TO AND USE OF PUBLIC BEACHES. (a) In |
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this section, "public beach" means a state-owned beach bordering on |
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the seaward shore of the Gulf of America [Gulf of Mexico], extending |
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from mean low tide to the landward boundary of state-owned |
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submerged land, and any larger area extending from the line of mean |
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low tide to the line of vegetation bordering on the Gulf of America |
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[Gulf of Mexico] to which the public has acquired a right of use or |
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easement to or over the area by prescription or dedication or has |
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established and retained a right by virtue of continuous right in |
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the public under Texas common law. |
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SECTION 2. Section 1-i, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1-i. MOBILE MARINE DRILLING EQUIPMENT; AD VALOREM TAX |
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RELIEF. The legislature by general law may provide ad valorem tax |
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relief for mobile marine drilling equipment designed for offshore |
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drilling of oil or gas wells that is being stored while not in use in |
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a county bordering on the Gulf of America [Gulf of Mexico] or on a |
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bay or other body of water immediately adjacent to the Gulf of |
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America [Gulf of Mexico]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 1-A, Article IX, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1-A. AUTHORITY OF COASTAL COUNTIES TO REGULATE MOTOR |
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VEHICLES AND LITTERING ON BEACHES. The Legislature may authorize |
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the governing body of any county bordering on the Gulf of America |
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[Gulf of Mexico] or the tidewater limits thereof to regulate and |
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restrict the speed, parking and travel of motor vehicles on beaches |
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available to the public by virtue of public right and the littering |
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of such beaches. |
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Nothing in this amendment shall increase the rights of any |
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riparian or littoral landowner with regard to beaches available to |
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the public by virtue of public right or submerged lands. |
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The Legislature may enact any laws not inconsistent with this |
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Section which it may deem necessary to permit said counties to |
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implement, enforce and administer the provisions contained herein. |
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Should the Legislature enact legislation in anticipation of the |
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adoption of this amendment, such legislation shall not be invalid |
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by reason of its anticipatory character. |
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SECTION 4. Section 7, Article XI, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 7. COUNTIES AND CITIES ON GULF OF AMERICA [GULF OF |
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MEXICO]; TAX FOR SEA WALLS, BREAKWATERS, AND SANITATION; BONDS; |
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CONDEMNATION OF RIGHT OF WAY. (a) All counties and cities |
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bordering on the coast of the Gulf of America [Gulf of Mexico] are |
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hereby authorized upon a vote of the majority of the qualified |
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voters voting thereon at an election called for such purpose to levy |
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and collect such tax for construction of sea walls, breakwaters, or |
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sanitary purposes, as may now or may hereafter be authorized by law, |
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and may create a debt for such works and issue bonds in evidence |
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thereof. But no debt for any purpose shall ever be incurred in any |
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manner by any city or county unless provision is made, at the time |
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of creating the same, for levying and collecting a sufficient tax to |
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pay the interest thereon and provide at least two per cent (2%) as a |
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sinking fund, except as provided by Subsection (b); and the |
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condemnation of the right of way for the erection of such works |
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shall be fully provided for. |
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SECTION 5. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held on November 4, |
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2025. The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or |
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against the proposition: "The constitutional amendment |
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redesignating references in the Texas Constitution to the partially |
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landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North |
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American continent, commonly known as the "Gulf of Mexico", to the |
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"Gulf of America." |