BILL ANALYSIS


                                                         S.B. 691
                                                         By: West
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                          4-12-95
                                       Committee Report (Amended)
BACKGROUND

Currently, when a county judge is suspended the county is in limbo
for the duration of the suspension.  Suspension leaves a county
judge unable to vote on matters before the commissioners court or
carrying out various administrative functions.  County
commissioners can only fill the position of county judge if the
county judge is removed from office by the Commission on Judicial
Conduct or a district judge.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 691 authorizes the commissioners court, upon the
suspension of a constitutional county judge, to appoint a county
resident to fill the office and to compensate the acting judge.

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 Chapter 26, Government Code, by adding Section
26.015, as follows:

     Sec. 26.015.  APPOINTMENT OF ACTING OF COUNTY JUDGE.  (a)
     Authorizes the commissioners court, upon the suspension of a
     constitutional county judge, to appoint a county resident to
     fill the office until the next term of that officer or until
     the suspension ends, whichever occurs first.
     
     (b) Requires the commissioners court to compensate the
       acting judge in an amount equal to the compensation of the
       regular judge over the same time period.  Requires this
       requirement to be considered an emergency for budget
       amendment purposes.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.