By:  Siebert                                          H.B. No. 1357
       73R4766 MWV-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a complainant's right to appear before the State
    1-3  Commission on Judicial Conduct.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 33.022, Government Code,
    1-6  is amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 33.022.  PRELIMINARY HEARING; JUDGE'S RIGHTS.
    1-8        SECTION 2.  Section 33.022(a), Government Code, is amended to
    1-9  read as follows:
   1-10        (a)  In the conduct of an investigation the judge shall be
   1-11  informed in writing that an investigation has commenced and of the
   1-12  nature of the matters being investigated.  At the conclusion of the
   1-13  investigation, the commission shall conduct a preliminary hearing
   1-14  to determine whether formal proceedings <(>under Subsection (b) <of
   1-15  this section)> shall be had.  The complainant, if any, is entitled
   1-16  to appear before the commission at the preliminary hearing and give
   1-17  testimony regarding the matters being investigated.  If the
   1-18  commission decides no further proceedings are warranted, the
   1-19  chairman of the commission shall so notify the judge in writing.
   1-20        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
   1-21  applies to an investigation of judicial conduct under Chapter 33,
   1-22  Government Code, that is pending on the effective date of this Act,
   1-23  without regard to whether the investigation was commenced before or
   1-24  is commenced on or after the effective date of this Act, and in
    2-1  which, on the effective date of this Act, formal proceedings under
    2-2  Section 33.022(b), Government Code, have not been commenced.
    2-3        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-4  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-5  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-6  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-7  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.