1-1  By:  Siebert, Duncan (Senate Sponsor - Henderson)     H.B. No. 1357
    1-2        (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 1993;
    1-3  May 12, 1993, read first time and referred to Committee on
    1-4  Jurisprudence; May 25, 1993, reported favorably by the following
    1-5  vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 25, 1993, sent to printer.)
    1-6                            COMMITTEE VOTE
    1-7                          Yea     Nay      PNV      Absent 
    1-8        Henderson          x                               
    1-9        Harris of Tarrant  x                               
   1-10        Brown              x                               
   1-11        Harris of Dallas   x                               
   1-12        Luna                                           x   
   1-13        Parker             x                               
   1-14        West                                x              
   1-15                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
   1-16                                AN ACT
   1-17  relating to a complainant's right to appear before the State
   1-18  Commission on Judicial Conduct.
   1-19        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-20        SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 33.022, Government Code,
   1-21  is amended to read as follows:
   1-22        Sec. 33.022.  COMPLAINANT'S AND JUDGE'S RIGHTS.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  Section 33.022(a), Government Code, is amended to
   1-24  read as follows:
   1-25        (a)  In the conduct of an investigation the judge shall be
   1-26  informed in writing that an investigation has commenced and of the
   1-27  nature of the matters being investigated.  At the conclusion of the
   1-28  investigation, the commission shall determine whether formal
   1-29  proceedings <(>under Subsection (b) <of this section)> shall be
   1-30  had.  The complainant, if any, is entitled to appear before the
   1-31  commission at any formal proceedings and give testimony regarding
   1-32  the matters being investigated.  If the commission decides no
   1-33  further proceedings are warranted, the chairman of the commission
   1-34  shall so notify the complainant, if any, and the judge in writing.
   1-35        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
   1-36  applies to an investigation of judicial conduct under Chapter 33,
   1-37  Government Code, that is pending on the effective date of this Act,
   1-38  without regard to whether the investigation was commenced before or
   1-39  is commenced on or after the effective date of this Act, and in
   1-40  which, on the effective date of this Act, formal proceedings under
   1-41  Section 33.022(b), Government Code, have not been commenced.
   1-42        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-43  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-44  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-45  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-46  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
   1-47                               * * * * *
   1-48                                                         Austin,
   1-49  Texas
   1-50                                                         May 25, 1993
   1-51  Hon. Bob Bullock
   1-52  President of the Senate
   1-53  Sir:
   1-54  We, your Committee on Jurisprudence to which was referred H.B.
   1-55  No. 1357, have had the same under consideration, and I am
   1-56  instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation
   1-57  that it do pass and be printed.
   1-58                                                         Henderson,
   1-59  Chairman
   1-60                               * * * * *
   1-61                               WITNESSES
   1-62  No witnesses appeared on H.B. No. 1357.