Texas Half of Counties Approval Amendment (2015)

Not on Ballot

This measure was not put
on an election ballot

## Contents

* 1 Text of measure
* 1.1 Ballot title
* 1.2 Constitutional changes
* 2 Path to the ballot
* 3 See also
* 4 External links
* 5 Footnotes

The Texas Half of Counties Approval Amendment was not on the November 3, 2015 ballot in Texas as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. The measure, upon voter approval, would have required half of the state's counties to approve a proposed constitutional amendment in order for that amendment to become law. This would have been in addition to, not in place of, the statewide simple majority vote requirement.[1]

The measure was introduced into the Texas Legislature by Rep. James White (R-19) as House Joint Resolution 44.[2]

## Text of measure[edit]

### Ballot title[edit]

The proposed ballot title was:[1]

“  | The constitutional amendment to require that future constitutional amendments become effective if approved by a majority of voters in the state and by a majority of voters in at least half of the counties of the state.[3] | ”

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### Constitutional changes[edit]

See also: Article 17, Texas Constitution

The proposed amendment would have amended Section 1(c) of Article 17 of the Texas Constitution. The following underlined text would have been added by the proposed measure's approval:[1]

(c) The election shall be held in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Legislature, and the returning officer in each county shall make returns to the Secretary of State of the number of legal votes cast at the election for and against each amendment. If it appears from the returns that a majority of the votes cast have been cast in favor of an amendment, and that in at least half of the counties in this state a majority of the votes cast have been cast in favor of the amendment, it shall become a part of this Constitution, and proclamation thereof shall be made by the Governor.

TEMPORARY PROVISION

(a) This temporary provision applies to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, relating to requiring that future constitutional amendments become effective if approved by a majority of voters in the state and by a majority of voters in at least half of the counties of the state.

(b) The amendment to Section 1(c), Article XVII, of this constitution takes effect January 1, 2016.

(c) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2017.[3]

## Path to the ballot[edit]

See also: Amending the Texas Constitution

The proposed constitutional amendment was filed by Rep. James White (R-19) as House Joint Resolution 44 on November 12, 2014.[2] A two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Texas State Legislature was required to refer this amendment to the ballot. Texas is one of 16 states that require a two-thirds supermajority vote in both chambers.

## See also[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* Texas 2015 ballot measures
* 2015 ballot measures
* Texas Legislature

## External links[edit]

* House Joint Resolution 44

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Texas Legislature, "HJR No. 44," accessed November 17, 2014
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Texas Legislature, "HJR No. 44 History," accessed November 17, 2014
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content

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