73R1526 JMM-D By Willis H.B. No. 317 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to a poll on judicial candidates conducted by a bar 1-3 association. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 81, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 81.114 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 81.114. JUDICIAL CANDIDATES POLL. (a) An attorney may 1-8 not participate in a poll conducted by the state bar or a local or 1-9 county bar association on the qualifications of judicial candidates 1-10 unless the attorney certifies that the attorney has had 1-11 professional interaction with a candidate evaluated by the attorney 1-12 in the poll. 1-13 (b) The state bar shall adopt a certification form under 1-14 this section that must be completed by an attorney who participates 1-15 in a judicial candidates poll conducted by the state bar or a local 1-16 or county bar association. The form shall accompany a ballot 1-17 prepared as a part of the poll and must be returned with the ballot 1-18 in order for the contents of the ballot to be included in the poll 1-19 results. The form must identify the attorney who completes the 1-20 ballot but must protect the identity of a candidate evaluated on 1-21 the ballot as well as the contents of the evaluation. 1-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and 1-23 applies only to a judicial candidates poll conducted by a bar 1-24 association on or after that date. 2-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.