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Amendment Of Us Constitution Process In Houston
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Multi-State
City:
Houston
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US-000280
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The Texas Constitution provides that the legislature, by a two-thirds vote of all members of each house, may propose amendments revising the constitution and that proposed amendments must then be submitted for approval to the qualified voters of the state.
Most of the states (36 of 49) require legislatures to approve the amendments during one legislative session. An additional four states require amendments to be passed during one or two successive legislative sessions, depending on whether the amendment receives a simple majority or supermajority.
The most common method of amending state constitutions is through popular initiatives. Popular initiatives have been most successful when the measure seeks to limit the power of legislators. State constitutional conventions have lost favor with both legislators and voters in recent years.
In addition to constitutional amendments proposed by Congress, states have the option of petitioning Congress to call a constitutional convention. Legislatures in two-thirds of states must agree, however. While the convention process has yet to be triggered, efforts to do so are not new.
The amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called in each State for ratification. In modern times, amendments have traditionally specified a time frame in which this must be accomplished, usually a period of several years.
Congress must call a convention for proposing amendments upon application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states (i.e., 34 of 50 states). Amendments proposed by Congress or convention become valid only when ratified by the legislatures of, or conventions in, three-fourths of the states (i.e., 38 of 50 states).
An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress, or, if two-thirds of the States request one, by a convention called for that purpose. The amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called in each State for ratification.
The U.S. Constitution is difficult to change and has only been amended 27 times. State constitutions, on the other hand, are much easier to modify, and state constitutional amendments are adopted on a regular basis. The current constitutions of the 50 states have been amended around 7,000 times.
Process for changing the Texas Constitution in which an amendment is proposed by a two-thirds vote of each chamber of the legislature and approved by a simple majority of voters in a general or special election.
The adoption of a constitutional amendment. What has been the result of the amendment process established by the Texas constitution? Almost 700 amendments have been proposed, and over 500 of these have been ratified.