By:  Thompson, S.                                     H.B. No. 2856
       73R7197 RJA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the creation of the County Criminal Court at Law No. 15
    1-3  of Harris County, Texas.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 25.1031(b), Government Code, is amended
    1-6  to read as follows:
    1-7        (b)  Harris County has the following county criminal courts:
    1-8              (1)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 1 of Harris
    1-9  County, Texas;
   1-10              (2)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 2 of Harris
   1-11  County, Texas;
   1-12              (3)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 3 of Harris
   1-13  County, Texas;
   1-14              (4)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 4 of Harris
   1-15  County, Texas;
   1-16              (5)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 5 of Harris
   1-17  County, Texas;
   1-18              (6)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 6 of Harris
   1-19  County, Texas;
   1-20              (7)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 7 of Harris
   1-21  County, Texas;
   1-22              (8)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 8 of Harris
   1-23  County, Texas;
   1-24              (9)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 9 of Harris
    2-1  County, Texas;
    2-2              (10)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 10 of Harris
    2-3  County, Texas;
    2-4              (11)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 11 of Harris
    2-5  County, Texas;
    2-6              (12)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 12 of Harris
    2-7  County, Texas;
    2-8              (13)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 13 of Harris
    2-9  County, Texas; <and>
   2-10              (14)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 14 of Harris
   2-11  County, Texas; and
   2-12              (15)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 15 of Harris
   2-13  County, Texas.
   2-14        SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding Section 25.1031(b)(15),
   2-15  Government Code, as added by this Act, the County Criminal Court at
   2-16  Law No. 15 of Harris County, Texas, is created January 1, 1995.
   2-17        SECTION 3.  Notwithstanding Section 25.0009, Government Code,
   2-18  the initial vacancy in the office of judge on creation of the
   2-19  County Criminal Court at Law No. 15 of Harris County, Texas, shall
   2-20  be filled by election.  The office of judge of the County Criminal
   2-21  Court at Law No. 15 of Harris County, Texas, exists for purposes of
   2-22  the primary and general elections in 1994.  The qualified voters of
   2-23  the county shall elect the initial judge in 1994 for a four-year
   2-24  term as provided by Article XVI, Sections 64 and 65, of the Texas
   2-25  Constitution.  A vacancy after the initial vacancy is filled as
   2-26  provided by Section 25.0009, Government Code.
   2-27        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-1  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-2  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-3  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-4  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.