Texit Referendum Bill Passed in The House of Representatives!!! (Bill HB 3596)

The Bill was filed 3/6/2023!!

This is referendum meaning that voters will be allowed to vote on whether to proceed with legislation on Texit.  Voting will occur in November at the usual time.

The more who know and vote, the closer we will be to a bigger carat.  'nuff said!

Here is the copy:


88R5896 JON-F
 
 
By: Slaton
H.B. No. 3596
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
relating to proposing a referendum to the people of the State of
 
Texas on the question of whether this state should reassert its
 
status as an independent nation.
 
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 
       SECTION 1.  (a) At the general election to be held November
 
7, 2023, the voters shall be permitted to vote in a referendum on
 
the question of whether this state should reassert its status as an
 
independent nation.
 
       (b)  Notice of the election shall be given by inclusion of
 
the proposition in the proclamation by the governor ordering an
 
election on any proposed constitutional amendment to the state
 
constitution and in the notice of that election given by each county
 
judge, or, if no constitutional amendment is proposed, the governor
 
shall order and each county judge shall give notice for an election
 
proposing the referendum required by this section.
 
       ©  The proposition shall be printed on the ballot above any
 
proposed constitutional amendment under the heading: "Referendum
 
Proposition."
 
       (d)  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or
 
against the proposition: "Should the State of Texas reassert its
 
status as an independent nation?"
 
       (e)  Returns of the votes cast on the proposition shall be
 
prepared and canvassed in the same manner as the returns on a
 
proposed constitutional amendment.
 
       (f)  Immediately after the results of the election are
 
certified by the governor, the secretary of state shall transmit a
 
copy of the certification to the lieutenant governor, the speaker
 
of the house of representatives, and each member of the
 
legislature.
 
       (g)  The referendum proposed under this section is
 
nonbinding on any decision of the legislature following the
 
submission of the report required by Section 2(i) of this Act.
 
       SECTION 2.  (a) The secretary of state shall immediately
 
transmit a copy of the governor's certification of the result of the
 
referendum required under Section 1 of this Act to:
 
             (1)  the president of the United States;
 
             (2)  the speaker of the House of Representatives and
 
the president of the Senate of the Congress of the United States;
 
and
 
             (3)  the members of the Texas delegation to the
 
Congress of the United States.
 
       (b)  The Texas Independence Committee is a joint interim
 
committee established to study and make recommendations regarding
 
the most effective and expeditious method by which Texas may be
 
returned to its status as an independent nation.
 
       ©  The committee shall consider:
 
             (1)  recommendations for amending the Constitution of
 
Texas to accommodate the needs of an independent nation, including:
 
                   (A)  the creation of new elected and appointed
 
offices;
 
                   (B)  the modification of the powers, functions,
 
and titles of existing offices;
 
                   ©  the renaming of the State of Texas to the
 
Republic of Texas;
 
                   (D)  the removal of unnecessary or undesirable
 
provisions that exist solely as a consequence of Texas' status as a
 
state within the United States of America; and
 
                   (E)  the identification of fundamental rights
 
enumerated by the Constitution of the United States of America that
 
may not be adequately preserved in the Constitution of Texas;
 
             (2)  recommendations for amending Texas statutes to
 
accommodate the needs of an independent nation, including:
 
                   (A)  the creation of new agencies;
 
                   (B)  the modification of the powers, functions,
 
and names of existing agencies; and
 
                   ©  the identification of necessary and
 
desirable functions of government that are provided for under the
 
statutory law of the United States of America but not adequately
 
described in Texas statute;
 
             (3)  recommendations regarding transitional issues
 
which must be negotiated with the government of the United States of
 
America, including:
 
                   (A)  any necessary or desirable changes in federal
 
law;
 
                   (B)  the determination of citizenship of
 
residents of Texas;
 
                   ©  the disposition of the property and assets of
 
the United States of America currently in Texas;
 
                   (D)  a temporary currency union;
 
                   (E)  a free trade agreement;
 
                   (F)  a common travel agreement;
 
                   (G)  the status of Texans currently serving in the
 
armed forces of the United States of America;
 
                   (H)  any necessary disposition of the Texas
 
portion of the national debt of the United States of America;
 
                   (I)  a collective defense arrangement;
 
                   (J)  a postal agreement;
 
                   (K)  the payment of pensions to Texans who have
 
vested in the pension programs of the United States of America and
 
its subnational governments;
 
                   (L)  a social security totalization agreement;
 
and
 
                   (M)  any other transitional issues that the
 
committee may identify; and
 
             (4)  recommendations regarding any international
 
convention or multilateral agreement to which an independent Texas
 
may become a party in order to benefit the people of Texas or ensure
 
minimal disruption during a transition period.
 
       (d)  In addition to considering the issues described under
 
Subsection © of this section, the committee shall include within
 
its report required under Subsection (i) of this section a strategy
 
for achieving Texas independence not later than 24 months after the
 
date the results of the referendum election required under Section
 
1 of this Act are certified by the governor.
 
       (e)  The committee is composed of:
 
             (1)  the lieutenant governor;
 
             (2)  the speaker of the house of representatives;
 
             (3)  four senators appointed by the lieutenant
 
governor, one of whom must be the chair of the senate committee on
 
state affairs; and
 
             (4)  four members of the house of representatives
 
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one of
 
whom must be the chair of the house committee on state affairs.
 
       (f)  The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of
 
representatives shall serve as co-chairs of the committee.
 
       (g)  The committee shall convene at the call of the
 
co-chairs.
 
       (h)  The committee has all other powers and duties provided
 
to a special or select committee by the rules of the senate and
 
house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government
 
Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees on
 
administration.
 
       (i)  Not later than December 31, 2024, the committee shall
 
report the committee's findings and recommendations to the
 
legislature.
 
       (j)  The committee is abolished and this Act expires January
 
1, 2025.
 
       SECTION 3.  (a)  Section 2 of this Act takes effect on
 
December 7, 2023, but only if the referendum proposed by the 88th
 
Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, on the question of whether this
 
state should reassert its status as an independent nation is
 
approved by the voters. If that referendum is not approved by the
 
voters, Section 2 has no effect.
 
       (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (a) of this section,
 
this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.