By:  Rudd                                            H.J.R. No. 124
       73R4450 CAG-D
                                  A JOINT RESOLUTION
    1-1  proposing a constitutional amendment to abolish the office of
    1-2  constable in Terry County.
    1-3        BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Article V, Section 18, of the Texas Constitution
    1-5  is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e) to
    1-6  read as follows:
    1-7        (a)  Each county in the State with a population of 30,000 or
    1-8  more, according to the most recent federal census, from time to
    1-9  time, for the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not
   1-10  less than four and not more than eight precincts.  Each county in
   1-11  the State with a population of 18,000 or more but less than 30,000,
   1-12  according to the most recent federal census, from time to time, for
   1-13  the convenience of the people, shall be divided into not less than
   1-14  two and not more than five precincts.  Each county in the State
   1-15  with a population of less than 18,000, according to the most recent
   1-16  federal census, from time to time, for the convenience of the
   1-17  people, shall be designated as a single precinct or, if the
   1-18  Commissioners Court determines that the county needs more than one
   1-19  precinct, shall be divided into not more than four precincts.
   1-20  Notwithstanding the population requirements of this subsection,
   1-21  Chambers County, from time to time, for the convenience of the
   1-22  people, shall be divided into not less than two and not more than
   1-23  six precincts.  A division or designation under this subsection
   1-24  shall be made by the Commissioners Court provided for by this
    2-1  Constitution.  Except as provided by Subsection (e) of this
    2-2  section, in  <In> each such precinct there shall be elected one
    2-3  Justice of the Peace and one Constable, each of whom shall hold his
    2-4  office for four years and until his successor shall be elected and
    2-5  qualified; provided that in a county with a population of less than
    2-6  150,000, according to the most recent federal census, in any
    2-7  precinct in which there may be a city of 18,000 or more
    2-8  inhabitants, there shall be elected two Justices of the Peace, and
    2-9  in a county with a population of 150,000 or more, according to the
   2-10  most recent federal census, each precinct may contain more than one
   2-11  Justice of the Peace Court.
   2-12        (e)  The office of Constable in Terry County is abolished.
   2-13  The functions of the office are transferred to the County Sheriff.
   2-14  However, the office of Constable is abolished under this subsection
   2-15  only if, at the statewide election at which the constitutional
   2-16  amendment providing for the abolition of the office in that county
   2-17  is submitted to the voters, a majority of the voters of that county
   2-18  voting on the question at that election favor the amendment.
   2-19        SECTION 2.  The following temporary provision is added to the
   2-20  Texas Constitution:
   2-21        TEMPORARY PROVISION.  The abolition of the office of
   2-22  constable in Terry County under the constitutional amendment
   2-23  proposed by the 73rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1993, providing
   2-24  for the abolition of the office in that county takes effect January
   2-25  1, 1994, if the conditions of Article V, Section 18, Subsection
   2-26  (e), as added by that constitutional amendment, are met.  This
   2-27  provision expires January 2, 1994.
    3-1        SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
    3-2  submitted to the voters at an election to be held on November 2,
    3-3  1993.  The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or
    3-4  against the proposition:  "The constitutional amendment providing
    3-5  for the abolition of the office of constable in Terry County."