By Zbranek                                            H.J.R. No. 89
                                  A JOINT RESOLUTION
    1-1  proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the judicial
    1-2  districts of Texas.
    1-3        BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Article V of the Texas Constitution is amended by
    1-5  amending Section 7 as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 7.  Judicial Districts; District Judges; terms or
    1-7  sessions; absence, disability or disqualification of Judge
    1-8        Sec. 7.  The State shall be divided into judicial districts,
    1-9  with each district having one or more Judges as may be provided by
   1-10  law or by this Constitution.  The Legislature shall provide for the
   1-11  selection, qualification, residency and term of office of persons
   1-12  who are licensed to practice law in this State to be selected as
   1-13  judges of said district courts.   <Each district judge shall be
   1-14  elected by the qualified voters at a General Election and shall be
   1-15  a citizen of the United States and of this State, who is licensed
   1-16  to practice law in this State and has been a practicing lawyer or a
   1-17  Judge of a Court in this  State, or both combined, for four (4)
   1-18  years next preceding his election, who has resided in the district
   1-19  in which he was elected for two (2) years next preceding his
   1-20  election, and who shall reside in his district during his term of
   1-21  office and hold his office for the period of four (4) years, and
   1-22  who> A district judge shall receive for his services an annual
   1-23  salary to be fixed by the Legislature.  The Court shall conduct its
    2-1  proceedings at the county seat of the county in which the case is
    2-2  pending, except as otherwise provided by law.  He shall hold the
    2-3  regular terms of his Court at the County Seat of each County in his
    2-4  district in such manner as may be prescribed by law.  The
    2-5  Legislature shall have power by General or Special Laws to make
    2-6  such provisions concerning the terms or sessions of each Court as
    2-7  it may deem necessary.
    2-8        The Legislature shall also provide for the holding of
    2-9  District Court when the Judge thereof is absent, or is from any
   2-10  cause disabled or disqualified from presiding.
   2-11        SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
   2-12  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1993.
   2-13  The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against
   2-14  the proposition: "The constitutional amendment relating to the
   2-15  judicial districts of Texas."
   2-16        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-17  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-18  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-19  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-20  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.