BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        S.B. 1062
                                                    By: Wentworth
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                           4-5-95
                                     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, 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: upon passage.