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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature |
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to set the salary of the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the |
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house of representatives. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 24, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Members of the Legislature shall receive from the Public |
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Treasury a salary of Six Hundred Dollars ($600) per month, unless a |
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greater amount is recommended by the Texas Ethics Commission and |
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approved by the voters of this State in which case the salary is |
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that amount. The Legislature through the General Appropriations Act |
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or other law may set the salary of the Speaker of the House of |
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Representatives in an amount greater than the salary received by |
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other members of the Legislature. Each member shall also receive a |
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per diem set by the Texas Ethics Commission for each day during each |
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Regular and Special Session of the Legislature. |
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SECTION 2. Subsection (e), Section 24a, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution, is amended to read as follows: |
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(e) The commission may recommend the salary of the members |
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of the legislature [and may recommend that the salary of the speaker
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of the house of representatives and the lieutenant governor be set
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at an amount higher than that of other members]. The commission |
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shall set the per diem of members of the legislature and the |
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lieutenant governor, and the per diem shall reflect reasonable |
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estimates of costs and may be raised or lowered biennially as |
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necessary to pay those costs, but the per diem may not exceed during |
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a calendar year the amount allowed as of January 1 of that year for |
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federal income tax purposes as a deduction for living expenses |
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incurred in a legislative day by a state legislator in connection |
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with the legislator's business as a legislator, disregarding any |
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exception in federal law for legislators residing near the Capitol. |
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SECTION 3. Section 17, Article IV, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The Lieutenant Governor shall, while acting as |
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President of the Senate, receive for his or her services the same |
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compensation and mileage which shall be allowed to the members of |
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the Senate, and no more unless the Legislature sets the salary in a |
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greater amount as provided by Subsection (b-1) of this section |
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[Texas Ethics Commission recommends and the voters approve a higher
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salary], in which case the salary is that amount; and during the |
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time the Lieutenant Governor exercises the powers and authority |
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appertaining to the office of Governor, the Lieutenant Governor |
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shall receive in like manner the same compensation which the |
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Governor would have received had the Governor been employed in the |
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duties of that office, and no more. An increase in the emoluments |
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of the office of Lieutenant Governor does not make a member of the |
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Legislature ineligible to serve in the office of Lieutenant |
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Governor. |
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(b-1) The Legislature through the General Appropriations |
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Act or other law may set the salary of the Lieutenant Governor in an |
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amount greater than the salary allowed to the members of the Senate. |
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SECTION 4. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 8, 2011. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the |
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legislature to set the salary of the lieutenant governor and the |
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speaker of the house of representatives in an amount greater than |
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the salary received by other members of the legislature." |