Bill Text: TX HJR71 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment to provide that the governor, and the lieutenant governor when acting as governor, retain executive authority unless unavailable as provided by law.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-04-15 - Referred to State Affairs [HJR71 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HJR71-Introduced.html
  83R1897 JSA-F
 
  By: Thompson of Harris H.J.R. No. 71
 
 
 
A JOINT RESOLUTION
  proposing a constitutional amendment to provide that the governor,
  and the lieutenant governor when acting as governor, retain
  executive authority unless unavailable as provided by law.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 16(c) and (d), Article IV, Texas
  Constitution, are amended to read as follows:
         (c)  In the case of the temporary inability or temporary
  disqualification of the Governor to serve or[,] the impeachment of
  the Governor, or when the [absence of the] Governor is unavailable
  as provided by law [from the State], the Lieutenant Governor shall
  exercise the powers and authority appertaining to the office of
  Governor until the Governor becomes able or qualified to resume
  serving, is acquitted, or is available [returns to the State].  For
  purposes of this subsection, unless the legislature provides
  otherwise by statute, the Governor is unavailable if the Governor
  is absent from the state.
         (d)  If the Governor refuses to serve or becomes permanently
  unable to serve, or if the office of Governor becomes vacant, the
  Lieutenant Governor becomes Governor for the remainder of the term
  being served by the Governor who refused or became permanently
  unable to serve or vacated the office. On becoming Governor, the
  person vacates the office of Lieutenant Governor, and the resulting
  vacancy in the office of Lieutenant Governor shall be filled in the
  manner provided by Section 9, Article III, of this Constitution.
         SECTION 2.  Section 17(a), Article IV, Texas Constitution,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  If, while exercising the powers and authority
  appertaining to the office of Governor under Section 16(c) of this
  article, the Lieutenant Governor becomes temporarily unable or
  disqualified to serve, is impeached, or is unavailable as provided
  by law [is absent from the State], the President pro tempore of the
  Senate, for the time being, shall exercise the powers and authority
  appertaining to the office of Governor until the Governor or
  Lieutenant Governor reassumes those powers and duties.  For
  purposes of this subsection, unless the legislature provides
  otherwise by statute, the Lieutenant Governor is unavailable if the
  Lieutenant Governor is absent from the state.
         SECTION 3.  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 that the
  governor, and the lieutenant governor when acting as governor,
  retain executive authority unless unavailable as provided by law."
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