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.