Bill Text: TX HB829 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to the governor's executive authority while traveling outside of the state.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-04-15 - Referred to State Affairs [HB829 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB829-Engrossed.html
| By: Thompson of Harris | H.B. No. 829 | |
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| relating to the governor's executive authority while traveling | ||
| outside of the state. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 401.022, Government Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 401.022. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "unavailable" | ||
| means, with respect to the governor or a person authorized to act as | ||
| governor under the Texas Constitution or this subchapter: | ||
| (1) not able to exercise the powers and discharge the | ||
| duties of the office of governor for any reason specified in the | ||
| Texas Constitution; | ||
| (2) being physically located outside the territorial | ||
| boundaries of the contiguous 48 states of the continental United | ||
| States; | ||
| (3) being physically located outside the state but | ||
| inside the territorial boundaries of the contiguous 48 states of | ||
| the continental United States if the governor or person authorized | ||
| to act as governor gives notice under Section 401.0225 that the | ||
| governor or person authorized to act as governor will not rely on | ||
| electronic communication while absent from the state; or | ||
| (4) being physically located outside this state for | ||
| more than seven consecutive days. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 401, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 401.0225 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 401.0225. NOTICE OF UNAVAILABILITY. The governor or a | ||
| person authorized to act as governor shall reasonably notify the | ||
| next person in the line of succession under the Texas Constitution | ||
| or this subchapter when the governor or person authorized to act as | ||
| governor will become unavailable as described by Section | ||
| 401.022(2), (3), or (4). | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect on the date on which the | ||
| constitutional amendment proposed by the 83rd Legislature, Regular | ||
| Session, 2013, providing that the governor, and the lieutenant | ||
| governor when acting as governor, retain executive authority unless | ||
| unavailable as provided by law is approved by the voters. If that | ||
| amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect. | ||
