Bill
SJR 34
85(R) - 2017
Senate State Affairs
House State Affairs
Senate State Affairs
House State Affairs
Constitutional Amendments
Texas Constitution
Vote Recommendation
Yes
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Positive
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Neutral
Author(s)
Brian Birdwell
Sponsor(s)
Charlie Geren
Bill Caption
Proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the service of certain officeholders after the expiration of the person's term of office.
Fiscal Notes
From the LBB: No significant fiscal implication to the State is
anticipated, other than the cost of publication. The cost to the state for
publication of the resolution is $114,369.
Bill Analysis
SJR 34 seeks to update the way appointed, senate confirmed positions are handled after the expiration of a term of office. Currently office holders in appointed positions sometimes stay as "holdovers" after the expiration of their term to prevent a vacancy before their replacement is appointed and confirmed. This may be beneficial for continuance of governance but the practice lends itself to having too many people continuing to conduct the duties of an office for which their term has expired.
This constitutional amendment would make the end of a term of an appointed office that does not receive a salary be the last day of the first regular session that begins after the expiration of the term.
Vote Recommendation Notes
This constitutional amendment would uphold the principle of limited government by ensuring that people whose terms in appointed office have ended do not stay indefinitely as holdovers without being re-appointed to the office. For this reason we support SJR 34.