HJR 11

By: Toth
  H.J.R. No. 11
  A JOINT RESOLUTION
  proposing a constitutional amendment concerning the limitation on
  the rate of growth in state and local appropriations with the return
  of over-collected taxpayer money by reducing taxes.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is amended by
  adding Section 22A to read as follows:
         Sec. 22.  (a)  For purposes of this section, "all funds
  appropriations" means appropriations from:
               (1)  the general revenue fund in the state or local
  treasury;
               (2)  a dedicated account in the general revenue fund in
  the state or local treasury;
               (3)  a general revenue-related fund in the state
  treasury as identified in the biennial statement required of the
  comptroller under Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution; and
               (4)  the other state funds, other local funds, and
  federal funds in the state or local treasury.
         (a)  In each state fiscal biennium, the rate of growth of
  appropriations from all revenue sources, and each local fiscal year
  may not exceed the average taxpayer's ability to pay for the cost of
  funding government.
         (b)  The Legislative Budget Board shall approve the
  calculated rate using the available data and adopt the applicable
  limit prior to the commencement of each regular state legislative
  session and each local government shall use this determined rate.
         (c)  The state legislature or local entity may exceed the
  limit imposed by this section only if:
               1.  Three-fourths of the members of each house of the
  state legislature for the state budget and three-fourths of the
  members of each local entity approve a resolution specifying the
  amount of appropriations authorized above the limit and identifying
  the nature of the emergency.
         (d)  Any over-collected taxpayer money will be returned to
  them by reducing tax rates as determined by the state for the state
  budget or local entity for the local entity's budget.
         SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2025.  
  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
  proposition: "The constitutional amendment concerning the
  limitation on the rate of growth in state and local appropriations,
  and any over-collected taxpayer money will be returned by lowering
  taxes."
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect on the date on which the
  constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2025, authorizing an appropriations limitation on state
  and local governments in Texas. If that amendment is not approved by
  the voters, this Act has no effect.