Texas Almanac, 1947-1948 Page: 59
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STATE CONSTITUTION.
Article III.-(Continued.)
dered taxable property therein so authoriz-
ing, a county or road district may collect an
annual tax for a period not exceeding five
(5) years to create a fund for constructing
lasting and permanent roads and bridges or
both. No contract involving the expenditure
of any of such fund shall be valid unless,
when it is made, money shall be on hand in
such fund.
At such election, the Commissioners' Court
shall submit for adoption a road plan and
designate the amount of special tax to be
levied; the number of years said tax Is to
be levied-; the location, description and char-
acter of the roads and bridges, and the esti-
mated cost thereof. The funds raised by
such taxes shall not be used for purposes
other than those specified in the plan sub-
mitted to the ,oters Elections may be held
from time to time to extend or discontinue
said plan or to increase or diminish said tax.
The Legislature shall enact laws prescribing
the procedure hereunder.
The provisions of this section shall apply
only to Harris County and road districts
therein.
[The foregoing Sec. 52-d of Art III, an amend-
ment, was added for the stated purpose of giing
special local tax powers to Harris County Adopt-
ed in an election Aug. 23, 1937 1
Sec. 53. Extra Compensation by Municipal
Corporations.-The Legislature shall hae no
power to grant or to authorize any county or
municipal authority to grant any extra com-
pensation, fee or allowance to a public officer,
agent, servant or contractor, after service
has been rendered or a contract has been
entered into and performed in whole or in
part; nor pay, nor authorize the payment of
any claim created against any county or mu-
nicipality of the State under any agreement
or contract made without authority of law.
Sec. 54. Liens on Railroads.-The Legisla-
ture shall have no power to release or alien-
ate any lien held by the State upon any rail-
road, or in anywise change the tenor or
meaning or pass any act explanatory there-
of, but the same shall be enforced in accord-
ance with the original terms upon which it
was acquired
Sec. 55 Power of Legislature to Release
Debt.-The Legislature shall have no power
to release or extinguish, or to authorize the
releasing or extinguishing, in whole or in
part, the indebtedness, liability or obliga-
tion of any corporation or individual, to this
State or to any county or defined subdivision
thereof, or other municipal corporation there-
in, except delinquent taxes which have been
due for a period of at least ten years
[Note.-The foregoing Sec. 55 of Art. III is an
amendment of an original section, the amend-
ment having been adopted to include the clause
"except delinquent taxes which have been due for
a period of at least ten years " Submitted by the
Forty-Second Legislature (1931) and adopted in
an electon Nov. 8, 1932. Proclaimed Jan. 9,
1933.1
Sec. 56. Local and Special Laws.-The Leg-
islature shall not, except as otherwise pro-
vided in this Constitution, pass any local or
special law authorizing"
The creation, extension or impairing of
liens;
Regulating the affairs of counties, cities,
towns, wards or school districts,
Changing the names of persons or places;
Changing the venue in civil or criminal
cases;
Authorizing the laying out, opening, alter-
ing or maintaining of roads, highways,
streets or alleys,
Relating to ferries or bridges, or incorpo-
rating ferry or bridge companies, except for
the erection of bridges crossing streamswhich form boundaries bet een this and any
other State;
Vacating roads, town plats, streets o
alleys,
Relating to cemeteries. graveyards or pub-
lic grounds not of the State,
Authorizing the adoption or legitimation of
children,
Locating or changing county seats,
Incorporating cities, towns or villages or
changing their charter,
For the opening and conducting of elec-
tions or fixing or changing the places of
voting,
Granting divorces,
Creating offices, or prescribing the pow ei s
and duties of officers in counties, cities.
towns, election or school districts,
Changing the law of descent or succession
Regulating the practice or jurisdiction of
or changing the rules of evidence in an
judicial proceeding or inquiry before courts
Justices of the Peace. Sheriffs, commission-
ers, arbitrators or other tribunals, or pro-
viding or changing methods for the collection
of debts or the enforcing of judgments oi
prescribing the effect of judicial sales of real
estate,
Regulating the fees, or extending the pow-
ers and duties of Aldermen, Justices of the
Peace. magistrates or Constables,
Regulating the management of public
schools, the building or repa ing of school-
houses, and the raising of money foi such
pui poses,
Fixing the rate of interest.
Affecting the estates of minors or persons
under disability,
Remitting fines, penalties and forferture s
and refunding moneys legally paid into the
Treasury,
Exempting property from taxation.
Regulating labor, trade, mining and manu-
facturing,
Declaring any named person of age,
Extending the time for the assessment o
collection of taxes, or otherwise reliesing any
assessor or collector of taxes from the due
performance of his official duties or his
securities from liability.
Giving effect to informal or inmalid wills
or deeds;
Summoning or impaneling giand or petit
juries,
For limitation of ciril or criminal actions.
For incorporating railroads or other works
of internal improvements,
And in all other cases where a general law
can be made applicable no local or special
law shall be enacted, provided, that nothing
herein contained shall be construed to pro-
hibit the Legislature from passing special
laws for the preseivation of the game and
fish of this State in certain localities.
Sec. 57. Notice of Local or Special Laws.-
No local or special law shall be passed unless
notice of the intention to apply therefor shall
have been published in the locality where the
matter or thing to be affected may be situ-
ated, which notice shall state the substance
of the contemplated law. and shall be pub-
lished at least thirty days prior to the intro-
duction into the Legislature of such bill and
in the manner to be provided by law. The
evidence of such notice having been published
shall be exhibited in the Legislature before
such act shall be passed
Sec. 58 Sessions to Be Held at Austin,
Seat of Government.-The Legislature shall
hold its sessions at the city of Austin, which
Is hereby declared to be the seat of govern-
ment.
Sec. 59. The Legislature shall have power
to pass such laws as may be necessary to
provide for workmen's compensation Insur-
ance for such State employees, as in its judg-
ment is necessary or required, and to pro-
vide for the payment of all costs, charges,
and premiums on such policies of insurance.
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Texas Almanac, 1947-1948, book, 1947; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117136/m1/61/?q=%22oil-gas%22: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.