Bill Text: TX HJR67 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for legislative budget sessions in even-numbered years.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-18 - Referred to Appropriations [HJR67 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HJR67-Introduced.html
83R2649 MAW-D | ||
By: Howard | H.J.R. No. 67 |
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proposing a constitutional amendment providing for legislative | ||
budget sessions in even-numbered years. | ||
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 5(a), Article III, Texas Constitution, | ||
is amended to read as follows: | ||
(a) The Legislature shall meet every odd-numbered year in | ||
regular session and every even-numbered year in budget session [ |
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Legislature also shall meet [ |
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the Governor. | ||
SECTION 2. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by | ||
adding Section 40a to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 40a. (a) A budget session of the legislature may not | ||
exceed 30 days in duration. When convened in budget session, a | ||
house of the legislature may not consider a bill or proposed | ||
constitutional amendment on a matter other than appropriations, | ||
transfers of state money among funds and accounts, or state | ||
revenue. | ||
(b) Except as otherwise provided by this constitution, a | ||
budget session is treated in the same manner as a special session of | ||
the legislature for purposes of this constitution. | ||
(c) Unless otherwise provided by general law, a budget | ||
session shall be convened at noon on the third Tuesday in April. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 49(c), Article III, Texas Constitution, | ||
is amended to read as follows: | ||
(c) The legislature may call an election during any regular | ||
session or budget session of the legislature or during any special | ||
session of the legislature in which the subject of the election is | ||
designated in the governor's proclamation for that special session. | ||
The election may be held on any date, and notice of the election | ||
shall be given for the period and in the manner required for | ||
amending this constitution. The election shall be held in each | ||
county in the manner provided by law for other statewide elections. | ||
SECTION 4. Subsection (a), Section 49a, Article III, Texas | ||
Constitution, is amended to read as follows: | ||
(a) It shall be the duty of the Comptroller of Public | ||
Accounts in advance of each Regular Session and Budget Session of | ||
the Legislature to prepare and submit to the Governor and to the | ||
Legislature upon its convening a statement under oath showing fully | ||
the financial condition of the State Treasury at the close of the | ||
last fiscal period and an estimate of the probable receipts and | ||
disbursements for the then current fiscal year. There shall also be | ||
contained in said statement an itemized estimate of the anticipated | ||
revenue based on the laws then in effect that will be received by | ||
and for the State from all sources showing the fund accounts to be | ||
credited during each fiscal year of the succeeding biennium and | ||
said statement shall contain such other information as may be | ||
required by law. Supplemental statements shall be submitted at any | ||
Special Session of the Legislature and at such other times as may be | ||
necessary to show probable changes. | ||
SECTION 5. Section 49-g(k), Article III, Texas | ||
Constitution, is amended to read as follows: | ||
(k) Amounts from the economic stabilization fund may be | ||
appropriated during a regular legislative session only for a | ||
purpose for which an appropriation from general revenue was made by | ||
the preceding legislature and may be appropriated in a budget or | ||
special session only for a purpose for which an appropriation from | ||
general revenue was made in a preceding legislative session of the | ||
same legislature. An appropriation from the economic stabilization | ||
fund may be made under this subsection only if the comptroller | ||
certifies that appropriations from general revenue made by the | ||
preceding legislature for the current biennium exceed available | ||
general revenues and cash balances for the remainder of that | ||
biennium. The amount of the [ |
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comptroller's estimate of general revenue for the current biennium | ||
at the time the comptroller receives for certification the bill | ||
making the appropriation and the amount of general revenue | ||
appropriations for that biennium previously certified by the | ||
comptroller. Appropriations from the economic stabilization fund | ||
under this subsection may not extend beyond the last day of the | ||
current biennium. An appropriation from the economic stabilization | ||
fund under this subsection must be approved by a three-fifths vote | ||
of the members present in each house of the legislature. | ||
SECTION 6. The following temporary provision is added to | ||
the Texas Constitution: | ||
TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) The constitutional amendment | ||
proposed by the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, providing | ||
for legislative budget sessions in even-numbered years takes effect | ||
January 1, 2014. | ||
(b) This temporary provision expires February 1, 2014. | ||
SECTION 7. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be | ||
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2013. | ||
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the | ||
proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for | ||
legislative budget sessions in even-numbered years." |