Grand and petit juries in the District Courts shall be composed of twelve persons, except that petit juries in a criminal case below the grade of felony shall be composed of six persons; but nine members of a grand jury shall be a quorum to transact business and present bills. Article IV Section 1, creates several offices in the officers of the Executive Department (except Secretary of State) -any person deemed mentally incompetent by the courts. New states may be admitted by the Congress into this union; but no new states shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress. 20. The elections must be held on the same day if more than one county is included. Which idea is contained in both the US and Texas Constitutions? (2) prescribe a reasonable period, which may not exceed 45 days, after the provision of that notice during which the court may not enter a judgment holding the statute unconstitutional. [2] Alleged fugitives generally may not challenge extradition proceedings. Sec. 3-c. (8) After such investigation as it deems necessary, the Commission may in its discretion issue a private or public admonition, warning, reprimand, or requirement that the person obtain additional training or education, or if the Commission determines that the situation merits such action, it may institute formal proceedings and order a formal hearing to be held before it concerning a person holding an office or position specified in Subsection (6) of this Section, or it may in its discretion request the Supreme Court to appoint an active or retired District Judge or Justice of a Court of Appeals, or retired Judge or Justice of the Court of Criminal Appeals or the Supreme Court, as a Master to hear and take evidence in the matter, and to report thereon to the Commission. The Legislative Reference Library has a constitutional amendment search and the Texas Legislative Council offers a table of constitutional amendments since 1876 [PDF]. SUPREME COURT; JUSTICES. (a) The Legislature may by law provide for the creation, establishment, maintenance and operation of Airport Authorities composed of one or more counties, with power to issue general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, either or both of them, for the purchase, acquisition by the exercise of the power of eminent domain or otherwise, construction, reconstruction, repair or renovation of any airport or airports, landing fields and runways, airport buildings, hangars, facilities, equipment, fixtures, and any and all property, real or personal, necessary to operate, equip and maintain an airport. Understand the Constitution of 1876s role in Texas, Legislative sessions moved from annual to biennial sessions, State Judges would be elected by the people, The people would vote on the ratification of amendments, The structure of the current constitution of Texas (Constitution of 1876) is a Preamble, 17 Articles, and 491 Amendments (Since 2015), The project includes digitized images and searchable text versions of. (a) Each county in the State with a population of 50,000 or more, according to the most recent federal census, from time to time, for the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not less than four and not more than eight precincts. This article makes a personal income tax unlikely in Texas because: registered voters in the state must approve a personal income tax. It also details the mechanism by which new states are permitted to enter the nation and the federal government's obligation to maintain law and order in the event of an "invasion" or other breakdown of a peaceful union. If such District is created, it may be authorized to levy a tax not to exceed seventy-five cents (75) on the One Hundred Dollar ($100) valuation of taxable property within the District; provided, however, no tax may be levied until approved by a majority vote of the participating resident qualified voters. The rights found in the Texas Bill of Rights: contain some ideas that move beyond those guaranteed by the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution. 9. Sec. (a) amended Nov. 2, 1999; Subsec. 17: See Appendix, Note 3.). The Supreme Court has held that the Constitution requires all states to be admitted on an equal footing, though the Admissions Clause does not expressly include this requirement. The office of every such Justice and Judge shall become vacant on the expiration of the term during which the incumbent reaches the age of seventy-five (75) years or such earlier age, not less than seventy (70) years, as the Legislature may prescribe, except that if a Justice or Judge elected to serve or fill the remainder of a six-year term reaches the age of seventy-five (75) years during the first four years of the term, the office of that Justice or Judge shall become vacant on December 31 of the fourth year of the term to which the Justice or Judge was elected. Said court shall dispose of probate business either in term time or vacation, under such regulation as may be prescribed by law. 1. There shall be elected for each county, by the qualified voters, a County Clerk, who shall hold his office for four years, who shall be clerk of the County and Commissioners Courts and recorder of the county, whose duties, perquisites and fees of office shall be prescribed by the Legislature, and a vacancy in whose office shall be filled by the Commissioners Court, until the next general election; provided, that in counties having a population of less than 8,000 persons there may be an election of a single Clerk, who shall perform the duties of District and County Clerks. (a) The Legislature may by law authorize the creation of two hospital districts, one to be coextensive with and have the same boundaries as the incorporated City of Amarillo, as such boundaries now exist or as they may hereafter be lawfully extended, and the other to be coextensive with Wichita County. 17. In case of vacancy the Commissioners Court of the county shall have the power to appoint a County Attorney until the next general election. The structure of the current constitution of Texas (Constitution of 1876) is a Preamble, 17 Articles, and 491 Amendments (Since 2015) 3. They differed from provisions in the 1827 Constitution of Coahuila y Tejas. Notwithstanding the population requirements of this subsection, any county that is divided into four or more precincts on November 2, 1999, shall continue to be divided into not less than four precincts. COUNTY FACILITIES FOR INDIGENT INHABITANTS. Its appellate jurisdiction shall be final and shall extend to all cases except in criminal law matters and as otherwise provided in this Constitution or by law. (TEMPORARY TRANSITION PROVISIONS for Sec. Once the new Constitution went into effect, however, Congress admitted Vermont and Kentucky on equal terms and thereafter formalized the condition in its acts of admission for subsequent states, declaring that the new state enters "on an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever." The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. (e) The Legislature shall authorize the purchase or acquisition by the Authority of any existing airport facility publicly owned and financed and served by certificated airlines, in fee or of any interest therein, or to enter into any lease agreement therefor, upon such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreeable to the Authority and the owner of such facilities, or authorize the acquisition of same through the exercise of the power of eminent domain. The Radical Republican majority used this clause as the basis for taking control of the ex-Confederate states and for promoting civil rights for freedmen, plus the limiting of political and voting rights for ex-Confederates, abolishing the ex-Confederate state governments, setting guidelines for the readmission of the rebellious states into the Union. [15], Pursuant to a parallel clause in Article One, Section Eight, the Supreme Court has held that states may not tax such federal property. If the district hereinabove authorized is finally created, no other hospital district may be created embracing any part of the territory within its boundaries, but the Legislature by law may authorize the creation of a hospital district incorporating therein the remainder of Jefferson County, having the powers and duties and with the limitations presently provided by Article IX, Section 4, of the Constitution of Texas. Registered voters vote on approval. Congressional restrictions on the equality of states, even when those limitations have been found in the acts of admission, have been held void by the Supreme Court. 1-A. The legislature may provide that the county in which the district is located may issue general obligation bonds for the district and provide other services to the district. Table 2.2 Articles of the Texas Constitution of 1876, The Texas Constitution's Bill of Rights Similar civil liberties and civil rights as in the U.S. Constitutions Bill of Rights, Establishes three branches of government with separation of powers, Specifics about the Texas Judicial system, -any convicted felon who has not completed their sentence, or. Sec. ), (TEMPORARY TRANSITION PROVISION for Sec. Log in. $143,750 (2019) [1] Website. Notwithstanding any other section of this article, the Legislature in providing for the creation, establishment, maintenance, and operation of a hospital district, shall not be required to provide that such district shall assume full responsibility for the establishment, maintenance, support, or operation of mental health services or mental retardation services including the operation of any community mental health centers, community mental retardation centers or community mental health and mental retardation centers which may exist or be thereafter established within the boundaries of such district, nor shall the Legislature be required to provide that such district shall assume full responsibility of public health department units and clinics and related public health activities or services, and the Legislature shall not be required to restrict the power of any municipality or political subdivision to levy taxes or issue bonds or other obligations or to expend public moneys for the establishment, maintenance, support, or operation of mental health services, mental retardation services, public health units or clinics or related public health activities or services or the operation of such community mental health or mental retardation centers within the boundaries of the hospital districts; and unless a statute creating a hospital district shall expressly prohibit participation by any entity other than the hospital district in the establishment, maintenance, or support of mental health services, mental retardation services, public health units or clinics or related public health activities within or partly within the boundaries of any hospital district, any municipality or any other political subdivision or state-supported entity within the hospital district may participate in the establishment, maintenance, and support of mental health services, mental retardation services, public health units and clinics and related public health activities and may levy taxes, issue bonds or other obligations, and expend public moneys for such purposes as provided by law. Section Four requires the United States to protect each state from invasion, and, upon the application of the state legislature (or executive, if the legislature cannot be convened), from domestic violence. The County Commissioners so chosen, with the County Judge as presiding officer, shall compose the County Commissioners Court, which shall exercise such powers and jurisdiction over all county business, as is conferred by this Constitution and the laws of the State, or as may be hereafter prescribed. Sec. If you have any trouble with our navigation menu, we recommend you use our site map for navigation. (Feb. 15, 1876. It also forbids the creation of new states from parts of existing states without the consent of the affected states and Congress. (b) The Legislature may by law permit the County of Comanche to render financial aid to that District by paying a part of the expenses of operating and maintaining the system and paying a part of the debts of the District (whether assumed or created by the District) and may authorize the levy of a tax not to exceed ten cents (10) per One Hundred Dollar ($100) valuation (in addition to other taxes permitted by this Constitution) upon all property within the County but without the County Commissioners Precinct No. (8) amended Nov. 5, 2013; Subsec. The Court of Appeals may sit in sections as authorized by law. 14: see Appendix, Note 3.). If the tax is authorized by the legislature and approved by the voters of the area to be taxed, the Amarillo Hospital District shall, by resolution, assume the responsibilities, obligations, and liabilities of Randall County in accordance with Subsection (a) of this section and, except as provided by this subsection, Randall County may not levy taxes or issue bonds for hospital purposes or for providing hospital care for needy inhabitants of the county. JURISDICTION OF DISTRICT COURTS. Voter turnout for the constitutional amendment elections could be improved if: they were held at the same time as presidential elections. No judge shall sit in any case wherein the judge may be interested, or where either of the parties may be connected with the judge, either by affinity or consanguinity, within such a degree as may be prescribed by law, or when the judge shall have been counsel in the case. Copyright 2023 by the Texas State Law Library. Sec. Any person holding an office named in Paragraph A of this subsection who is eligible for retirement benefits under the laws of this state providing for judicial retirement may be involuntarily retired, and any person holding an office named in that paragraph who is not eligible for retirement benefits under such laws may be removed from office, for disability seriously interfering with the performance of his duties, which is, or is likely to become, permanent in nature. Interim vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as vacancies due to expiration of a full term, but only for the unexpired portion of the term in question. A system of checks and balances prevents any one of these . Sec. (a) All judges of courts of this State, by virtue of their office, are conservators of the peace throughout the State. The vote in the House was 69 for repeal and 38 against, which was short of the two-to-one vote required to amend the Constitution. 7. Some contend that the clause requires Congress to treat all citizens equally. Would this warranty be as important an evaluative criterion today as it was a decade ago? (Added Nov. 2, 1954; amended Nov. 2, 1999.) The legislature shall provide for the necessary expenses of the board. 8, Art. Under the current Texas Constitution, there are ___ members in the Senate and ___ members in the House. (Feb. 15, 1876. 23. Discretionary review by the Court of Criminal Appeals is not a matter of right, but of sound judicial discretion. 19. The Texas Constitution does not contain a necessary and proper clause like the U.S. Constitution, therefore making it the second-longest state constitution in America (2nd only to Alabamas). 3a: See Appendix, Note 3.). Notwithstanding the population requirements of this subsection, Chambers County and Randall County, from time to time, for the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not less than two and not more than six precincts. 5: See Appendix, Note 1. (c) A majority of the total membership of the board constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. License: CC BY: Attribution. 5a: See Appendix, Note 3.). This clause, sometimes referred to as the Guarantee Clause, has long been at the forefront of the debate about the rights of citizens vis--vis the government. The change must be approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the district voting at an election called and held for that purpose. (a) The Judicial Districts Board is created to reapportion the judicial districts authorized by Article V, Section 7, of this constitution. However, in McElmoyle v. Cohen, 38 U.S. (13 Pet.) The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence. 12: See Appendix, Note 1.). When, as a result of a change of precinct boundaries, a vacancy occurs in the office of Justice of the Peace or Constable, the Commissioners Court shall fill the vacancy by appointment until the next general election. The First Clause of Section Three, also known as the Admissions Clause,[6] grants to Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union. Any county now existing may be reduced to an area of not less than seven hundred square miles by a like two-thirds vote. Sec. (f) Any city which owns airport facilities not serving certificated airlines which are not purchased or acquired or taken over as herein provided by such Authority shall have the power to operate the same under the existing laws or as the same may hereafter be amended. (2) No part of any existing county shall be detached from it and attached to another existing county until the proposition for such change shall have been submitted, in such manner as may be provided by law, to a vote of the voters of both counties, and shall have received a majority of those voting on the question in each. (e) and (f) added Nov. 7, 1995; Subsec. The Legislature shall pass laws regulating the manner of removing county seats, but no county seat situated within five miles of the geographical centre of the county shall be removed, except by a vote of two-thirds of all the voters voting on the subject. The Legislature shall have power by General or Special Laws to make such provisions concerning the terms or sessions of each District Court as it may deem necessary. The Privileges and Immunities Clause requires interstate protection of "privileges and immunities," preventing each state from treating citizens of other states in a discriminatory manner. Such rule shall provide the right of discovery of evidence to a Justice, Judge, Master, or Magistrate after formal proceedings are instituted and shall afford to any person holding an office or position specified in Subsection (6) of this Section, against whom a proceeding is instituted to cause his retirement or removal, due process of law for the procedure before the Commission, Masters, review tribunal, and the Supreme Court in the same manner that any person whose property rights are in jeopardy in an adjudicatory proceeding is entitled to due process of law, regardless of whether or not the interest of the person holding an office or position specified in Subsection (6) of this Section in remaining in active status is considered to be a right or a privilege. Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. SHERIFFS. No more than one (1) such election may be called in a county until after the expiration of one (1) year in the event such an election has failed, and thereafter only upon a petition of ten per cent (10%) of the qualified voters being presented to the Commissioners Court or Commissioners Courts of the county or counties in which such an election has failed. (2), (6), and (8)-(12) amended and (14) added Nov. 6, 1984; Subsecs. Why did the Constitution of 1869 grant blacks the right to vote and recognize the 14th Amendment guarantees of equality before the law? If such district or districts are created, they may be authorized to levy a tax not to exceed Seventy-five Cents (75) on the One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) valuation of taxable property within the district; provided, however, no tax may be levied until approved by a majority vote of the participating resident qualified voters. Article Four of the United States Constitution outlines the relationship between the various states, as well as the relationship between each state and the United States federal government. The union between Texas and the other States was as complete, as perpetual, and as indissoluble as the union between the original States. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In a panel of three Judges, two Judges shall constitute a quorum and the concurrence of two Judges shall be necessary for a decision. Amended Nov. 2, 1954, and Nov. 2, 1999.) 2: See Appendix, Note 3.). (b) The Legislature may by law permit the County of Potter (in which the City of Amarillo is partially located) to render financial aid to that district by paying a part of the expenses of operating and maintaining the system and paying a part of the debts of the district (whether assumed or created by the district) and may authorize the levy of a tax not to exceed Ten Cents (10) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) valuation (in addition to other taxes permitted by this Constitution) upon all property within the county but without the City of Amarillo at the time such levy is made for such purposes. 11. License: 2022, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, The Texas State Constitution and the American Federal System, Introduction to Texas History and Politics, The Executive Department and the Office of the Governor of Texas, Voting and Political Participation in Texas, Introduction: The Texas State Constitution and the American Federal System, The Evolution of the Texas State Constitution, Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States (1824), Constitution Of Coahuila And Texas (1827), Constitution of the Republic of Texas (1836), The 1870s: The Constitutional Convention of 1875. Neither of these theories has been endorsed by the Supreme Court, which has held that the clause means that a state may not discriminate against citizens of other states in favor of its own citizens. (TEMPORARY TRANSITION PROVISION for Sec. How are we doing? (b) A vacancy in the office of County Judge or Justice of the Peace shall be filled by the Commissioners Court until the next succeeding General Election. 8. GRAND AND PETIT JURIES IN DISTRICT COURTS: COMPOSITION AND VERDICT. (Added Nov. 2, 1948; Subsecs. [20] In Pacific States, a utility company challenged an Oregon tax law passed by a referendum, as opposed to the ordinary legislative process. In a series of opinions by the Supreme Court of the United States, referred to as the Insular Cases, the Court ruled that the territories belonged to, but were not part of the United States. Said Court of Appeals shall have appellate jurisdiction co-extensive with the limits of their respective districts, which shall extend to all cases of which the District Courts or County Courts have original or appellate jurisdiction, under such restrictions and regulations as may be prescribed by law. (2), (5)-(10), and (12) amended Nov. 8, 1977; Subsecs. The district may provide hospital care, medical care, and other services authorized by the legislature. The Justices shall have the qualifications prescribed for Justices of the Supreme Court. 6 Article 7 of the Texas constitution Requires that the state legislature establish and maintain "an efficient system of public free schools" Article 8 of the Texas constitution deals with taxation and revenue.