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Texas Prohibition on Using Motor Vehicle Revenue for Policing Amendment (2015)

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The Texas Prohibition on Using Motor Vehicle Revenue for Policing Amendment was not on the November 3, 2015 ballot in Texas as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. The measure, upon voter approval, would have prohibited the state legislature from allocating funds derived from motor vehicle registration fees, taxes on motor fuels and lubricants, and certain revenue received from the federal government for the purpose of policing public roadways. In other words, revenue in the State Highway Fund would not have been allocated to the Department of Public Safety.[1][2]

Additionally, the measure would have removed the payment of the principal and interest on county and road district bonds or warrants approved or issued prior to January 1, 1945, from the list of purposes for which motor vehicle-related revenue can be allocated.[1]

The measure was introduced into the Texas Legislature by Sen. Charles Perry (R-28) as Senate Joint Resolution 12.[3]

Text of measure

Ballot title

The proposed ballot title was:[1]

“ The constitutional amendment prescribing the purposes for which revenue from motor vehicle registration fees, taxes on motor fuels and lubricants, and certain revenues received from the federal government may be used.[4] ”

Constitutional changes

See also: Article 8, Texas Constitution

The proposed amendment would have amended Sections 7-a and 7-b of Article 8 of the Texas Constitution. The following struck-through text would have been deleted and the underlined text would have been added by the proposed measure's approval:[1]

Sec. 7-a.

(a) Subject to legislative appropriation, allocation and direction, all net revenues remaining after payment of all refunds allowed by law and expenses of collection derived from motor vehicle registration fees, and all taxes, except gross production and ad valorem taxes, on motor fuels and lubricants used to propel motor vehicles over public roadways, shall be used for the sole purpose of acquiring rights-of-way and, constructing and, maintaining, and policing such public roadways, and for the administration of such laws as may be prescribed by the Legislature pertaining to the supervision of traffic and safety on such roads; and for the payment of the principal and interest on county and road district bonds or warrants voted or issued prior to January 2, 1939, and declared eligible prior to January 2, 1945, for payment out of the County and Road District Highway Fund under existing law; provided, however, that one-fourth (1/4) of such net revenue from the motor fuel tax shall be allocated to the Available School Fund; and, provided, however, that the net revenue derived by counties from motor vehicle registration fees shall never be less than the maximum amounts allowed to be retained by each County and the percentage allowed to be retained by each County under the laws in effect on January 1, 1945. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as authorizing the pledging of the State’s credit for any purpose.

Sec. 7-b.

All revenues received from the federal government as reimbursement for state expenditures of funds that are themselves dedicated for acquiring rights-of-way and constructing and, maintaining, and policing public roadways are also constitutionally dedicated and shall be used only for those purposes.

TEMPORARY PROVISION.

(a) This temporary provision applies to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, prescribing the purposes for which revenue from motor vehicle registration fees, taxes on motor fuels and lubricants, and certain revenues received from the federal government may be used.

(b) The amendments to Sections 7-a and 7-b, Article VIII, of this constitution apply only in connection with a state fiscal biennium that begins on or after September 1, 2017.

(c) This temporary provision expires September 2, 2017.[4]

Support

Supporters

Officials

The following officials sponsored the measure in the legislature:[5]

Organizations

  • Alliance for I-69 Texas[6]
  • U.S. 190 Gulf Coast Strategic Highway Coalition
  • Transportation Advocacy Group—Houston
  • Texas Association of Realtors
  • Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce
  • Move Texas Forward
  • Texas Municipal League
  • Texas Conference on Urban Counties
  • Texas Association of Business
  • Associated General Contractors of Texas
  • Texas Good Roads & Transportation Association
  • San Antonio Mobility Coalition
  • Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition

Businesses

  • Hunter Industries[6]

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Texas Constitution

The proposed constitutional amendment was filed by Sen. Charles Perry (R-28) as Senate Joint Resolution 12 on November 10, 2014.[3]

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. On April 28, 2015, the Texas Senate approved SJR 12, with 29 senators voting "yea" and two voting "nay."[3] The measure was not approved by both chambers of the legislature.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Texas Legislature, "SJR No. 12," accessed May 3, 2015
  2. ↑ Texas Legislature, "SJR No. 12 Analysis," accessed May 3, 2015
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Texas Legislature, "SJR No. 12 History," accessed November 14, 2014
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 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
  5. ↑ Texas Legislature, "SJR No. 12 Authors," accessed May 3, 2015
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Texas Legislature, "SJR No. 12 Witnesses," accessed May 3, 2015
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