By Nixon                                              H.J.R. No. 71
       74R5178 MWV-D
                                  A JOINT RESOLUTION
    1-1  proposing a constitutional amendment changing the requirements for
    1-2  persons serving as district judges.
    1-3        BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 7, Article V, Texas Constitution, is
    1-5  amended to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 7.  (a)  The State shall be divided into judicial
    1-7  districts, with each district having one or more Judges as may be
    1-8  provided by law or by this Constitution.
    1-9        (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (f) of this section,
   1-10  each <Each> district judge shall be elected by the qualified voters
   1-11  at a General Election and shall be a citizen of the United States
   1-12  and of this State, who is licensed to practice law in this State,
   1-13  who has been licensed to practice law in one or more states,
   1-14  districts, or territories of the United States for a total of ten
   1-15  (10) years before taking office, who <and> has been a practicing
   1-16  lawyer or a Judge <of a Court in this State>, or both combined, for
   1-17  ten (10) <four (4)> years before taking office <next preceding his
   1-18  election>, who has resided in this State for one (1) year before
   1-19  taking office <the district in which he was elected for two (2)
   1-20  years next preceding his election>, and who shall reside in the
   1-21  <his> district during the judge's <his> term of office and hold
   1-22  <his> office for the period of four (4) years, and who shall
   1-23  receive for the judge's <his> services an annual salary to be fixed
   1-24  by the Legislature.
    2-1        (c)  The Court shall conduct its proceedings at the county
    2-2  seat of the county in which the case is pending, except as
    2-3  otherwise provided by law.
    2-4        (d)  The district judge <He> shall hold the regular terms of
    2-5  <his> Court at the County Seat of each County in the <his> district
    2-6  in such manner as may be prescribed by law.  The Legislature shall
    2-7  have power by General or Special Laws to make such provisions
    2-8  concerning the terms or sessions of each Court as it may deem
    2-9  necessary.
   2-10        (e)  The Legislature shall also provide for the holding of
   2-11  District Court when the Judge thereof is absent, or is from any
   2-12  cause disabled or disqualified from presiding.
   2-13        (f)  A person serving in the office of district judge on
   2-14  January 1, 1996, to be eligible to serve as a district judge, must
   2-15  be elected by the qualified voters at a General Election, be a
   2-16  citizen of the United States and of this State, be licensed to
   2-17  practice law in this State, have been a practicing lawyer or a
   2-18  Judge of a Court in this State, or both combined, for four (4)
   2-19  years next preceding the judge's election, have resided in the
   2-20  district in which elected for two (2) years next preceding
   2-21  election, and reside in the district during the judge's term of
   2-22  office.
   2-23        SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
   2-24  submitted  to the voters at an election to be held November 7,
   2-25  1995.  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against
   2-26  the following proposition:  "The constitutional amendment to
   2-27  require that judges of the district courts have practiced law for
    3-1  10 years before taking office and have resided in the district from
    3-2  which elected for one year before taking office."