HBA-ALS H.J.R. 14 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.J.R. 14 By: Howard State Affairs 4/23/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, there is no limit on the number of terms that a person may serve in the legislature or in certain state offices. As proposed, H.J.R. 14 requires the submission to the voters of a constitutional amendment precluding a person from serving more than four regular sessions in the house of representatives, more than four regular sessions in the senate, excluding any membership prior to the 77th Legislative Session in 2001; from serving more than eight years in the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, comptroller of public accounts, commissioner of the General Land Office, or attorney general; or from serving more than 12 years on a state-wide elected or appointed state board, commission, or other governing body in the executive department. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Article III, Texas Constitution, by adding Section 7a, as follows: Sec. 7a. (a) Provides that a person is not eligible to be elected to the house of representatives if, before the date of the election, the person has served as a house member during all or part of four regular sessions of the legislature. (b) Provides that a person is not eligible to be elected to the senate if, before the date of the election, the person has served as a senate member during all or part of four regular sessions of the legislature. Provides that this subsection does not prohibit a person who has served as a member of the senate during all or part of three regular sessions of the legislature from being elected to or serving a four-year term in the senate even though at the end of that term the person will have served during all or part of more than four regular sessions. (c) Provides that legislative service before the legislature convenes in regular session in 2001 is not counted in determining whether a person is disqualified from election to office under this section. SECTION 2. Amends Article IV, Texas Constitution, by adding Section 2a, as follows: Sec. 2a. (a) Provides that a person is not eligible for election or appointment to an elective office listed in Section 1 of this article or any other state office elected by the voters at a statewide election, other than a judicial office or an office covered by Subsection (b) of this section, if on the date of the election or appointment the person has served in that office during any part of each of eight or more calendar years. (b) Provides that a person is not eligible for election or appointment to a state board, commission, or other governing body in the executive department, each member of which is elected by the voters in a statewide election, if on the date of the election or appointment the person has served as a member of the board, commission, or body during any part of each of 12 or more calendar years. (c) Provides that nothing in this section prohibits a person from continuing to serve in an office covered by this section after the end of a term as a holdover under Section 17, Article XVI (Officers to Serve until Successors Qualified), of this constitution until a successor is qualified. (d) Provides that for purposes of this section, a calendar year begins January 1 and ends December 31. (e) Provides that service in office before January 1, 2001, does not count for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from office under this section. SECTION 3. Requires this proposed constitutional amendment to be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1999. Sets forth the required language for the ballot.