Citizens' Advocate (Coppell, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 31, Ed. 1 Friday, August 1, 2003 Page: 20 of 20
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Page 20
Citizens’ Aduncate • LIVING • August 1, 2003
PUBLIC NOTICE
BRIEF EXPLANATORY STATEMENTS OF PROPOSED
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
SPECIAL ELECTION
SEPTEMBER 13, 2003
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: ‘The constitutional amend-
ment relating to the provision of parks
and recreational facilities by certain con-
servation and reclamation districts.”
PROPOSITION 5
(SJR 25)
SJR 25 would authorize the legislature to
exempt from all property taxes certain tan-
gible personal property, which could
include a travel trailer not substantially
affixed to real estate and not used as a resi-
dential dwelling.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “The constitutional
amendment to authorize the legislature
to exempt from ad valorem taxation
travel trailers not held or used for the
production of income.”
PROPOSITION 6
(HJR 23)
HJR 23 would authorize a qualified home-
owner to refinance a home equity loan with
a reverse mortgage loan.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitutional amendment
permitting refinancing of a home equity
loan with a reverse mortgage.”
PROPOSITION 7
(HJR 44)
HJR 44 would reduce the number of per-
sons who make up the jury in a district
court criminal misdemeanor case from
twelve to six.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “The constitutional
amendment to permit a six-person jury
in a district court misdemeanor trial.”
PROPOSITIONS
(HJR 62)
HJR 62 would authorize the legislature to
permit a person to assume office without an
election if the person is the only candidate
to qualify in an election for that office and
the election is required by the Texas
Constitution. This proposition applies to
state and local political subdivisions,
whereas Proposition 18 applies only to
local political subdivisions.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: ‘The constitutional
amendment authorizing the legislature
to permit a person to take office without
an election if the person is the only can-
didate to qualify in an election for that
office.”
PROPOSITION 9
(HJR 68, Section 2)
HJR 68, Section 2 would redefine the corn-
PROPOSITION 1
(HJR 68, Section 1)
HJR 68, Section 1 would authorize the
Veterans’ Land Board to use excess
receipts in the Veterans’ Land and
Veterans’ Housing Assistance funds for
payment of revenue bonds, and use excess
assets in those funds to provide veterans
homes.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “The constitutional
amendment authorizing the Veterans’
Land Board to use assets in certain vet-
erans’ land and veterans’ housing assis-
tance funds to provide veterans homes
for the aged or infirm and to make prin-
cipal, interest, and bond enhancement
payments on revenue bonds.”
PROPOSITION 2
(HJR 51)
HJR 51 would expand from six months to
two years the period in which the former
owner of a mineral interest that was sold
for unpaid property taxes may buy back the
mineral interest.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “The constitutional
amendment to establish a two-year peri-
od for the redemption of a mineral inter-
est sold for unpaid ad valorem taxes at a •
tax sale.”
PROPOSITION 3
(HJR 55)
HJR 55 would authorize the legislature to
exempt from taxation land owned by a reli-
gious organization that is leased for use as
a school or that will be used to expand or
construct a place of religious worship that
yields no revenue.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitutional amendment
to authorize the legislature to exempt
from ad valorem taxation property
owned by a religious organization that is
leased for use as a school or that is
owned with the intent of expanding or
constructing a religious facility.”
PROPOSITION 4
(SJR 30)
SJR 30 would authorize the legislature to
allow conservation and reclamation dis-
tricts to use taxes to develop and finance
certain parks and recreation facilities.
Also, the amendment would authorize the
legislature to allow local elections for the
issuance of bonds to improve and maintain
parks and recreational facilities in the
Tarrant Regional Water District or a con-
servation and reclamation district located
in whole or in part in Bastrop, Bexar,
Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris,
Montgomery, Tarrant, Travis, Waller or
Williamson County.
position of the permanent and available
school funds by requiring during the next
two fiscal years, and authorizing thereafter,
annual distributions to the available school
fund of a percentage of any increase in the
value of the permanent school fund’s total
investment assets.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: ‘The constitutional
amendment relating to the use of income
and appreciation of the permanent
school fund.”
PROPOSITION 10
(HJR 61)
HJR 61 would authorize municipalities to
donate surplus fire-fighting equipment,
supplies, or materials to the Texas Forest
Service, which would be authorized to dis-
tribute based on need the equipment to
rural volunteer fire departments.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitutional amendment
authorizing municipalities to donate
surplus fire-fighting equipment or sup-
plies for the benefit of rural volunteer
fire departments.”
PROPOSITION 11
(HJR 85)
HJR 85 would authorize the legislature to
regulate the operation of wineries in Texas,
regardless of whether a winery is located in
an area in which the sale of wine has been
authorized by local option election.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “A constitutional
amendment to allow the legislature to
enact laws authorizing and governing
the operation of wineries in this state.”
PROPOSITION 12
(HJR 3)
HJR 3 would immediately authorize the
Legislature to limit non-economic dam-
ages assessed against a provider of medical
or health care and, after January 1,2005, to
limit awards in all other types of cases.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “The constitutional
amendment concerning civil lawsuits
against doctors and health care
providers, and other actions, authoriz-
ing the legislature to determine limita-
tions on non-economic damages.”
PROPOSITION 13
(HJR 16)
HJR 16 would authorize a county, city,
town, and junior college district to freeze
property taxes on a residential homestead
of a person who is disabled or aged 65 or
older.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: ‘The constitutional amendment
to permit counties, cities and towns, and
junior college districts to establish an ad
valorem tax freeze on residence home-
steads of the disabled and of the elderly
and their spouses.”
PROPOSITION 14
(HJR 28)
HJR 28 would authorize the Texas
Department of Transportation to issue
notes or borrow money to fund highway
improvement projects. The terms of the
notes or loans may not exceed two years.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: ‘The constitutional amendment
providing for authorization of the issu-
ing of notes or the borrowing of money
on a short-term basis by a state trans-
portation agency for transportation-
related projects, and the issuance of
bonds and other public securities
secured by the state highway fund.”
PROPOSITION 15
(HJR 54)
HJR 54 would prohibit a local retirement
system and the political subdivision that
finances the retirement system from reduc-
ing or otherwise impairing certain accrued
benefits under the local retirement system.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “The Constitutional
amendment providing that certain ben-
efits under certain local public retire-
ment systems may not be reduced or
impaired.”
PROPOSITION 16
(SJR 42)
SJR 42 would amend the Texas
Constitution to allow home equity lines of
credit and allow refinancing of a home
equity loan with a reverse mortgage loan.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitutional amend-
ment authorizing a home equity line of
credit, providing for administrative
interpretation of home equity lending
law, and otherwise relating to the mak-
ing, refinancing, repayment, and
enforcement of home equity loans.”
PROPOSITION 17
(HJR 21)
HJR 21 would prohibit an increase in
school property taxes on residence home-
steads of disabled persons.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: ‘The constitutional amend-
ment to prohibit an increase in the total
amount of school district ad valorem
taxes that may be imposed on the resi-
dence homestead of a disabled person.”
PROPOSITION 18
(HJR 59)
HJR 59 would authorize the legislature to
permit a person to assume an office of a
political subdivision without an election if
the person is the only candidate to qualify
in an election for that office and the elec-
tion is required by the Texas Constitution.
This proposition applies only to local polit-
ical subdivisions, whereas Proposition 8
applies to state and local political subdivi-
sions.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: ‘The constitutional
amendment authorizing the legislature
to permit a person to assume an office of
a political subdivision without an elec-
tion if the person is the only candidate to
qualify in an election for that office.”
PROPOSITION 19
(SJR 45)
SJR 45 would repeal the legislature’s
authority to create rural fire prevention dis-
tricts. Effective September 1, 2003, all
existing rural fire prevention districts will
convert to emergency services districts.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “The constitutional
amendment to repeal the authority of
the legislature to provide for the creation
of rural fire prevention districts.”
PROPOSITION 20
(SJR 55)
SJR 55 would authorize the issuance of
general obligation bonds in a total amount
not to exceed $250 million that will be used
to provide loans for economic develop-
ment projects that benefit defense-related
communities in Texas.
The proposed amendment will appear on
the ballot as follows: “The constitutional
amendment authorizing the issuance of
general obligation bonds or notes not to
exceed $250 million payable from the
general revenues of the state to provide
loans to defense-related communities,
that will be repaid by the defense-relat-
ed community, for economic develop-
ment projects, including projects that
enhance the military value of military
installations.”
pROPOsrnoN2i
(SJR19)
SJR 19 would authorize current and retired
faculty members of a public institution of
higher education to receive compensation
for service as a member of the governing
body of a water district.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitutional amendment
to permit a current or retired faculty
member of a public college or university
to receive compensation for service on
the governing body of a water district”
PROPOSITION 22
(HJR 84)
HJR 84 would authorize the appointment
of a temporary replacement officer to serve
on behalf of a state, district, or local public
officer who is called into active military
duty for longer than 30 days.
The proposition will appear on the ballot as
follows: “The constitutional amendment
authorizing the appointment of a tempo-
rary replacement officer to fill a vacancy
created when a public officer enters
active duty in the United States armed
forces.”
Estos son los informes explanatorios
sobre las enmiendas propuestas a la con-
stitucion que apareceran en la boleta el
13 de septiembre de 2003. Si usted no ha
recibido una copia de los informes en
espafiol, podra obetener una gratis 11a-
mando al 1/800/252/8683 o escribiendo
al Secretario de Estado, P.O. Box 12060,
Austin, TX 78711.
PUBLISHED BY SECRETARY OF
STATE GWYN SHEA
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Citizens' Advocate (Coppell, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 31, Ed. 1 Friday, August 1, 2003, newspaper, August 1, 2003; Coppell, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1687254/m1/20/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Cozby Library and Community Commons.