74R9510 RJA-F By Alonzo H.B. No. 3145 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3145: By Alonzo C.S.H.B. No. 3145 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the election of certain county court judges from 1-3 election subdistricts. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 25, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 25.00031 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 25.00031. GEOGRAPHICAL JURISDICTION OF JUDGE ELECTED BY 1-8 SUBDISTRICT. A statutory county court judge elected from a 1-9 subdistrict has the same authority and jurisdiction as a judge 1-10 elected at large from the entire geographical area of the court. 1-11 SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 25, Government Code, is 1-12 amended by adding Sections 25.0013 and 25.0017 to read as follows: 1-13 Sec. 25.0013. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT OF JUDGES. A statutory 1-14 county court judge elected by subdistrict from an area that is less 1-15 than the entire county may, but need not, be a resident of the area 1-16 from which elected. 1-17 Sec. 25.0017. ELECTION BY SUBDISTRICT. (a) In a county in 1-18 which this chapter requires election by subdistrict of statutory 1-19 county court judges, the commissioners court shall draw the 1-20 subdistricts in accordance with applicable state and federal law. 1-21 (b) Subdistricts shall be drawn after each federal decennial 1-22 census. 1-23 (c) The Texas Legislative Council shall give county 2-1 officials and employees the same access to redistricting facilities 2-2 as the council gives to state officials and employees. 2-3 SECTION 3. Section 25.0009(a), Government Code, is amended 2-4 to read as follows: 2-5 (a) The commissioners court of each county shall appoint a 2-6 person to fill a vacancy in the office of judge of a statutory 2-7 county court. A person appointed to fill a vacancy filled by 2-8 election from a subdistrict must reside in the subdistrict. 2-9 SECTION 4. Section 25.0171, Government Code, is amended by 2-10 adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: 2-11 (d) The statutory county court judges shall be elected from 2-12 subdistricts drawn by the commissioners court. 2-13 SECTION 5. Section 25.0591, Government Code, is amended by 2-14 adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: 2-15 (e) The statutory county court judges shall be elected from 2-16 subdistricts drawn by the commissioners court. 2-17 SECTION 6. Section 25.1031, Government Code, is amended by 2-18 adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: 2-19 (d) The statutory county court judges shall be elected from 2-20 subdistricts drawn by the commissioners court. 2-21 SECTION 7. Section 25.2221, Government Code, is amended by 2-22 adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: 2-23 (e) The statutory county court judges shall be elected from 2-24 subdistricts drawn by the commissioners court. 2-25 SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995, and 3-1 applies beginning with the primary and general elections in 1996 3-2 for terms beginning on or after January 1, 1997. 3-3 SECTION 9. The importance of this legislation and the 3-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.