Bill Text: TX HJR69 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment to set the salaries of members of the legislature and the lieutenant governor based on the average public school teacher salary in this state.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-28 - Referred to State Affairs [HJR69 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HJR69-Introduced.html
  88R1253 BEF-D
 
  By: Hinojosa H.J.R. No. 69
 
 
 
A JOINT RESOLUTION
  proposing a constitutional amendment to set the salaries of members
  of the legislature and the lieutenant governor based on the average
  public school teacher salary in this state.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 24(a) and (c), Article III, Texas
  Constitution, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Members of the Legislature shall receive from the Public
  Treasury a salary in an amount determined [of Six Hundred Dollars
  ($600) per month, unless a greater amount is recommended] by the
  Texas Ethics Commission under Section 24a(g) of this article [and
  approved by the voters of this State in which case the salary is
  that amount. Each member shall also receive a per diem set by the
  Texas Ethics Commission for each day during each Regular and
  Special Session of the Legislature].
         (c)  In addition to a salary [the per diem] the Members of
  each House shall be entitled to mileage at the same rate as
  prescribed by law for employees of the State of Texas.
         SECTION 2.  Section 24a, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
  amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (g)  The commission shall set the annual salary of the
  members of the legislature, including the speaker of the house of
  representatives, in an amount equal to the average salary paid to a
  full-time certified classroom teacher in the public free schools of
  this state for the preceding school year as determined by the
  commission from available information and shall establish the date
  on which the annual change in salary takes effect each year.
         SECTION 3.  Section 28, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.  The Legislature shall, at its first regular
  session after the publication of each United States decennial
  census, apportion the state into senatorial and representative
  districts, agreeable to the provisions of Sections 25 and 26 of this
  Article. In the event the Legislature shall at any such first
  regular session following the publication of a United States
  decennial census, fail to make such apportionment, same shall be
  done by the Legislative Redistricting Board of Texas, which is
  hereby created, and shall be composed of five (5) members, as
  follows: The Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of
  Representatives, the Attorney General, the Comptroller of Public
  Accounts and the Commissioner of the General Land Office, a
  majority of whom shall constitute a quorum. Said Board shall
  assemble in the City of Austin within ninety (90) days after the
  final adjournment of such regular session. The Board shall, within
  sixty (60) days after assembling, apportion the state into
  senatorial and representative districts, or into senatorial or
  representative districts, as the failure of action of such
  Legislature may make necessary. Such apportionment shall be in
  writing and signed by three (3) or more of the members of the Board
  duly acknowledged as the act and deed of such Board, and, when so
  executed and filed with the Secretary of State, shall have force and
  effect of law. Such apportionment shall become effective at the
  next succeeding statewide general election. The Supreme Court of
  Texas shall have jurisdiction to compel such Board to perform its
  duties in accordance with the provisions of this section by writ of
  mandamus or other extraordinary writs conformable to the usages of
  law. The Legislature shall provide necessary funds for clerical
  and technical aid and for other expenses incidental to the work of
  the Board, and the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House
  of Representatives shall be entitled to receive [per diem and]
  travel expense during the Board's session in the same manner and
  amount as they would receive while attending a special session of
  the Legislature.
         SECTION 4.  Section 17(b), Article IV, Texas Constitution,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The Lieutenant Governor shall, while acting as
  President of the Senate, receive for his or her services the same
  compensation and mileage which shall be allowed to the members of
  the Senate[, and no more unless the Texas Ethics Commission
  recommends and the voters approve a higher salary, in which case the
  salary is that amount]; and during the time the Lieutenant Governor
  exercises the powers and authority appertaining to the office of
  Governor, the Lieutenant Governor shall receive in like manner the
  same compensation which the Governor would have received had the
  Governor been employed in the duties of that office, and no more.
  An increase in the emoluments of the office of Lieutenant Governor
  does not make a member of the Legislature ineligible to serve in the
  office of Lieutenant Governor.
         SECTION 5.  Sections 24a(e) and (f), Article III, Texas
  Constitution, are repealed.
         SECTION 6.  The following temporary provision is added to
  the Texas Constitution:
         TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies to
  the constitutional amendment proposed by the 88th Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2023, setting the salaries of members of the
  legislature and the lieutenant governor based on the average public
  school teacher salary in this state.
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsections (c) and (d)
  of this temporary provision, the amendments to Sections 24, 24a,
  and 28, Article III, and Section 17, Article IV, of this
  constitution take effect September 1, 2024, and apply to salaries
  on and after that date.
         (c)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (d) of this
  temporary provision, Section 24a(g), Article III, of this
  constitution takes effect January 1, 2024, and applies to salaries
  on and after September 1, 2024.
         (d)  The constitutional amendment described by Subsection
  (a) of this temporary provision does not apply to an individual who
  was a member of the legislature, including the speaker of the house
  of representatives, or the lieutenant governor during all or part
  of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023. The salary and per
  diem for any future service as a member of the legislature, as the
  speaker of the house of representatives, or as the lieutenant
  governor, including service on the Legislative Redistricting Board
  of Texas, by an individual to whom this subsection applies shall be
  determined in accordance with Sections 24, 24a, and 28, Article
  III, and Section 17, Article IV, of this constitution, as those
  provisions existed on November 6, 2023.
         SECTION 7.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.
  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
  proposition: "The constitutional amendment setting the salaries of
  members of the legislature and the lieutenant governor based on the
  average public school teacher salary in this state."
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