BILL ANALYSIS


                                                    C.S.H.B. 3203
                                                By: Puente (Luna)
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                          5-18-95
                            Senate Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND

Present law allows the City of San Antonio to have a charter that
provides for the appointment or election of municipal judges.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.H.B. 3203 requires San Antonio to provide for the
election of 10 full-time municipal judges from single-member
districts.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 30.084(b), Government Code, to require
San Antonio to provide for the election of 10 full-time municipal
judges from single-member districts, rather than providing by
charter for the appointment or election of a municipal judge. 
Requires each judge representing a district to reside in the
district.  Requires the city council to base the districts on the
boundaries of city council districts.  Requires the selection to be
for a term of four years.  Requires the city council to appoint,
from a list supplied by full-time judges, persons to serve as part-time municipal judges.  Provides that part-time judges serve at the
will of the majority of the full-time judges and do not serve a
term.  Provides that a vacancy in the office of part-time judge is
filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 30.084(e), Government Code, to require
the full-time judges to select one of the full-time judges to serve
as presiding municipal judge for a six-month term.  Provides that
there is no limit on the numbers of terms a judge may serve as
presiding municipal judge, but prohibits a judge from serving more
than two consecutive terms, rather than requiring the governing
body to appoint the presiding municipal judge.  Makes conforming
changes.

SECTION 3. Provides that a municipal court of record judge in San
Antonio in office on the effective date of this Act continues to
serve until judges have been elected or appointed.  Requires five
judges to be elected in May 1997 with terms that expire in 2001. 
Requires five judges to be elected in May 1999 with terms that
expire in 2003.  Requires the city council to determine from which
districts the voters elect judges in 1997 and 1999.  Requires the
city council to appoint five judges in 1997.  Provides that the
judges appointed in 1997 continue to serve until five judges are
elected in 1999.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.