BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1062 By: Wentworth (Goodman) 4-20-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The duties of the chief justice of the supreme court make it difficult for the chief justice to be absent from the court for any length of time without disrupting the court's business. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1062 authorizes the justice with the most seniority on the supreme court to sign a court document for the chief justice in the chief justice's absence if the chief justice has given that justice written authorization. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, department or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 22A, Government Code, by adding Section 22.014, as follows: Sec. 22.014. SENIOR JUSTICE ACTING FOR CHIEF JUSTICE. Authorizes the justice with the most seniority on the supreme court to sign a court document for the chief justice in the chief justice's absence if the chief justice has given that justice written authorization. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to a public notice posted on April 6, 1995, the Committee on Judicial Affairs met in a formal meeting on April 20, 1995, to consider H.B. 2734. The Senate companion, S.B. 1062, was over and eligible. Without objection, the Chair laid out S.B. 1062 in lieu of the House companion and recognized the House sponsor, Rep. Goodman, to explain the bill. Rep. Thompson moved that S.B. 1062 be reported favorably back to the full House with the recommendation that it do pass, be printed and sent to the Local & Consent Calendars Committee. The motion prevailed by the following record vote: 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 PNV and 2 absent.