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.