Bill Text: TX SJR60 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment regarding certain actions involving the conduct of elections and the powers of the legislature to file certain actions against the governor and other state officials.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-24 - Referred to State Affairs [SJR60 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SJR60-Introduced.html

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87R11430 SLB-D
By: Hall S.J.R. No. 60

A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment regarding certain actions
involving the conduct of elections and the powers of the
legislature to file certain actions against the governor and other
state officials.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 3, Article V, Texas Constitution, is
amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-1) and
(a-2) to read as follows:
(a) The Supreme Court shall exercise the judicial power of
the state except as otherwise provided in this Constitution. Its
jurisdiction shall be co-extensive with the limits of the State and
its determinations shall be final except in criminal law matters.
Its appellate jurisdiction shall be final and shall extend to all
cases except in criminal law matters and as otherwise provided in
this Constitution or by law. The Supreme Court and the Justices
thereof shall have power to issue writs of habeas corpus, as may be
prescribed by law, and under such regulations as may be prescribed
by law, the [said] courts and the Justices thereof may issue the
writs of mandamus, procedendo, certiorari and such other writs, as
may be necessary to enforce its jurisdiction.
(a-1) Except as provided by Subsection (a-2) of this
section, the [The] Legislature may confer original jurisdiction on
the Supreme Court to issue writs of quo warranto and mandamus in
such cases as may be specified, except as against the Governor [of
the State].
(a-2) A member of the Legislature has standing to
participate as a party in a suit against the Governor or other state
official for a violation of any law related to the conduct of
elections, including an action for a writ of mandamus to compel the
Governor or other state official to comply with a law related to the
conduct of elections. The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction
of a suit brought under this subsection and shall give preference to
such a suit.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 2021.
The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment regarding certain
actions involving the conduct of elections and the powers of the
legislature to file certain actions against the governor and other
state officials."