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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment providing for legislative |
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budget sessions in even-numbered years. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 5(a), Article III, Texas Constitution, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The Legislature shall meet every odd-numbered year in |
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regular session and every even-numbered year in budget session [two
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years] at such times [time] as may be provided by law. The |
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Legislature also shall meet [and] at other times when convened by |
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the Governor. |
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SECTION 2. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
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adding Section 40a to read as follows: |
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Sec. 40a. (a) A budget session of the legislature may not |
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exceed 30 days in duration. When convened in budget session, a |
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house of the legislature may not consider a bill or proposed |
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constitutional amendment on a matter other than appropriations, |
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transfers of state money among funds and accounts, or state |
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revenue. |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by this constitution, a |
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budget session is treated in the same manner as a special session of |
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the legislature for purposes of this constitution. |
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(c) Unless otherwise provided by general law, a budget |
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session shall be convened at noon on the third Tuesday in April. |
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SECTION 3. Section 49(c), Article III, Texas Constitution, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(c) The legislature may call an election during any regular |
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session or budget session of the legislature or during any special |
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session of the legislature in which the subject of the election is |
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designated in the governor's proclamation for that special session. |
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The election may be held on any date, and notice of the election |
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shall be given for the period and in the manner required for |
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amending this constitution. The election shall be held in each |
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county in the manner provided by law for other statewide elections. |
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SECTION 4. Subsection (a), Section 49a, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) It shall be the duty of the Comptroller of Public |
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Accounts in advance of each Regular Session and Budget Session of |
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the Legislature to prepare and submit to the Governor and to the |
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Legislature upon its convening a statement under oath showing fully |
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the financial condition of the State Treasury at the close of the |
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last fiscal period and an estimate of the probable receipts and |
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disbursements for the then current fiscal year. There shall also be |
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contained in said statement an itemized estimate of the anticipated |
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revenue based on the laws then in effect that will be received by |
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and for the State from all sources showing the fund accounts to be |
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credited during each fiscal year of the succeeding biennium and |
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said statement shall contain such other information as may be |
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required by law. Supplemental statements shall be submitted at any |
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Special Session of the Legislature and at such other times as may be |
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necessary to show probable changes. |
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SECTION 5. Section 49-g(k), Article III, Texas |
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Constitution, is amended to read as follows: |
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(k) Amounts from the economic stabilization fund may be |
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appropriated during a regular legislative session only for a |
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purpose for which an appropriation from general revenue was made by |
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the preceding legislature and may be appropriated in a budget or |
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special session only for a purpose for which an appropriation from |
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general revenue was made in a preceding legislative session of the |
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same legislature. An appropriation from the economic stabilization |
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fund may be made under this subsection only if the comptroller |
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certifies that appropriations from general revenue made by the |
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preceding legislature for the current biennium exceed available |
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general revenues and cash balances for the remainder of that |
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biennium. The amount of the [an] appropriation [from the economic
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stabilization fund] may not exceed the difference between the |
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comptroller's estimate of general revenue for the current biennium |
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at the time the comptroller receives for certification the bill |
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making the appropriation and the amount of general revenue |
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appropriations for that biennium previously certified by the |
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comptroller. Appropriations from the economic stabilization fund |
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under this subsection may not extend beyond the last day of the |
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current biennium. An appropriation from the economic stabilization |
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fund under this subsection must be approved by a three-fifths vote |
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of the members present in each house of the legislature. |
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SECTION 6. The following temporary provision is added to |
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the Texas Constitution: |
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TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) The constitutional amendment |
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proposed by the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, providing |
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for legislative budget sessions in even-numbered years takes effect |
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January 1, 2014. |
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(b) This temporary provision expires February 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 7. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2013. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for |
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legislative budget sessions in even-numbered years." |