By Zbranek                                            H.B. No. 1693
       74R6943 MWV-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the qualifications of office for appellate judges and
    1-3  justices.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 22.302 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 22.302.  QUALIFICATIONS OF APPELLATE COURT JUDGE OR
    1-8  JUSTICE.  A judge or justice of the supreme court, the court of
    1-9  criminal appeals, or a court of appeals must:
   1-10              (1)  be licensed to practice law in this state;
   1-11              (2)  be a citizen of the United States and a resident
   1-12  of this state;
   1-13              (3)  be at least 35 years of age; and
   1-14              (4)  have been a practicing lawyer, or a lawyer and
   1-15  judge of a court of record, for at least 10 years.
   1-16        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 1998, but only
   1-17  if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 74th Legislature,
   1-18  Regular Session, 1995, relating to allowing the legislature to
   1-19  establish the qualifications of office for appellate justices and
   1-20  judges, is approved by the voters.  If that amendment is not
   1-21  approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.
   1-22        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-23  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-24  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-1  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-2  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.