84R906 BEF-D
	By: Huffines	S.B. No. 63

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the qualifications for and time that a person may serve
	in certain offices.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 301.0135 to read as follows:
	Sec. 301.0135.  QUALIFICATIONS FOR STANDING COMMITTEE
	CHAIRS. (a) A member of the senate or house of representatives is
	not eligible to be designated as chair of a standing committee if at
	the time of designation the member has previously served as chair of
	that standing committee for 72 or more calendar months and
	regardless of whether the months the member served as chair were
	concurrent.
	(b)  Service as chair of a standing committee before January
	1, 2016, is not counted in determining whether a member is
	disqualified from designation as chair of that standing committee
	under this section.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 302.002 to read as follows:
	Sec. 302.002.  QUALIFICATIONS. (a) A member of the house of
	representatives is not eligible to be elected as speaker unless at
	the time of election the member has served at least one full
	two-year term as a member of the house of representatives.
	(b)  A member of the house of representatives is not eligible
	to be elected as speaker if at the time of election the member has
	previously served as speaker for 72 or more calendar months,
	regardless of whether the months the member served as speaker were
	concurrent.
	(c)  Service as speaker before January 1, 2016, is not
	counted in determining whether a member is disqualified from
	election as speaker under Subsection (b).
	SECTION 3.  Chapter 601, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Section 601.009 to read as follows:
	Sec. 601.009.  TERM LIMITS FOR CERTAIN ELECTIVE OFFICES. (a)
	In this section, "elective office under this state" means every
	state or district office or office of a political subdivision of
	this state that is filled by popular election and for which the
	qualifications for office or term of office is not provided by the
	constitution of this state.
	(b)  A person is not eligible to be elected to a full or
	partial term in any elective office under this state if on the date
	the term begins the person has served in that office during any part
	of each of eight or more calendar years.
	(c)  For purposes of this section, service in more than one
	elective position on a governing body is considered service in the
	same office. This subsection does not apply to ex officio service
	on a governing body.
	(d)  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, Texas
	Constitution, until a successor is qualified.
	(e)  Service in office before January 1, 2016, does not count
	for purposes of determining whether a person is disqualified from
	election to office under this section.
	(f)  This section does not prohibit a political subdivision
	of this state by charter, ordinance, order, or other appropriate
	means from imposing a more restrictive limit on the time or number
	of terms that a person may serve in an elective office.
	(g)  This section does not apply to an office for which
	another law imposes a more restrictive limit on the time or number
	of terms that a person may serve in the office.
	SECTION 4.  Chapter 651, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Section 651.011 to read as follows:
	Sec. 651.011.  QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTAIN APPOINTED STATE
	OFFICERS. (a) This section applies to a state office:
	(1)  the duties of which include serving as the head of
	a state agency;
	(2)  that is filled by appointment by the governor with
	the advice and consent of the senate;
	(3)  for which the qualifications for office are not
	provided by the constitution of this state; and
	(4)  for which the term of office is not provided by the
	constitution of this state.
	(b)  A person is not eligible for appointment to an office to
	which this section applies if at the time of appointment the person
	has previously served in that office for a cumulative period of four
	or more years.
	(c)  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, Texas
	Constitution, until a successor is qualified.
	(d)  Service in office before January 1, 2016, is not counted
	in determining whether a person is disqualified from appointment to
	office under this section.
	(e)  This section does not apply to an office for which
	another law imposes a more restrictive limit on the time or number
	of terms that a person may serve in the office.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.