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."