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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment regarding the limitation on |
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the rate of growth of appropriations. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 22, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 22. (a) The amount [In no biennium shall the rate of
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growth] of appropriations from state tax revenues not dedicated by |
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this constitution for a state fiscal biennium may not exceed the |
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amount determined in accordance with Subsection (c) of this section |
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and general law. |
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(b) The rate of growth of appropriations from state tax |
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revenues not dedicated by this constitution from one state fiscal |
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biennium to the next state fiscal biennium may not exceed the lesser |
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of the following rates: |
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(1) a rate equal to the sum of the estimated rates of: |
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(A) increase or decrease in the state's |
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population during the current state fiscal biennium; and |
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(B) monetary inflation or deflation in the state |
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during the current state fiscal biennium; or |
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(2) the estimated rate of growth of the state's |
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economy. |
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(c) The amount of appropriations from state tax revenues not |
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dedicated by this constitution for the next state fiscal biennium |
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may not exceed an amount determined by multiplying the amount of |
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appropriations for the current state fiscal biennium by the sum of |
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one plus the lesser of the rates described by Subsection (b) of this |
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section. If the lesser of the rates described by Subsection (b) is |
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a negative number, the amount of appropriations from state tax |
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revenues not dedicated by this constitution for the next state |
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fiscal biennium may not exceed the amount of appropriations from |
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those revenues in the current state fiscal biennium reduced by the |
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product of that amount and the additive inverse of that negative |
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number. |
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(d) The legislature shall provide by general law procedures |
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to implement this section [subsection]. |
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(e) [(b)] If the legislature, by adoption of a resolution |
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approved by a record vote of a majority of the members of each |
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house, finds that an emergency exists and identifies the nature of |
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the emergency, the legislature may provide for appropriations in |
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excess of the amount of appropriations authorized under [by] |
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Subsection (c) [(a)] of this section. The excess authorized under |
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this subsection may not exceed the amount specified in the |
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resolution. |
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(f) [(c)] In no case shall appropriations exceed revenues |
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as provided in Section 49a, Article III, [Section 49a,] of this |
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constitution. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter, |
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amend, or repeal Section 49a, Article III, [Section 49a,] of this |
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constitution. |
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SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to |
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the Texas Constitution: |
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TEMPORARY PROVISION. The constitutional amendment proposed |
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by the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, regarding the |
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limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations applies |
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beginning with the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, |
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2019. This temporary provision expires September 1, 2021. |
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SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2017. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment regarding the |
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limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations." |