By Zbranek                                            H.J.R. No. 77
       74R6942 MWV-D
                                  A JOINT RESOLUTION
    1-1  proposing a constitutional amendment changing the requirements for
    1-2  persons serving in certain judicial offices.
    1-3        BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 2, Article V, Texas Constitution, is
    1-5  amended to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 2.  (a)  The Supreme Court shall consist of the Chief
    1-7  Justice and eight Justices, any five of whom shall constitute a
    1-8  quorum, and the concurrence of five shall be necessary to a
    1-9  decision of a case; provided, that when the business of the court
   1-10  may require, the court may sit in sections as designated by the
   1-11  court to hear argument of causes  and to consider applications for
   1-12  writs of error or other preliminary matters.
   1-13        (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (d) of this section,
   1-14  the Legislature shall establish the qualifications of office for
   1-15  the Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court <No person
   1-16  shall be eligible to serve in the office of Chief Justice or
   1-17  Justice of the Supreme Court unless the person is licensed to
   1-18  practice law in this state and is, at the time of election, a
   1-19  citizen of the United States and of this state, and has attained
   1-20  the age of thirty-five years, and has been a practicing lawyer, or
   1-21  a lawyer and judge of a court of record together at least ten
   1-22  years>.
   1-23        (c)  Said Justices shall be elected (three of them each two
   1-24  years) by the qualified voters of the state at a general election;
    2-1  shall hold their offices six years, or until their successors are
    2-2  elected and qualified; and shall each receive such compensation as
    2-3  shall be provided by law.  In case of a vacancy in the office of
    2-4  the Chief Justice or any Justice of the Supreme Court, the Governor
    2-5  shall fill the vacancy until the next general election for state
    2-6  officers, and at such general election the vacancy for the
    2-7  unexpired term shall be filled by election by the qualified voters
    2-8  of the state.  <The Justices of the Supreme Court who may be in
    2-9  office at the time this amendment takes effect shall continue in
   2-10  office until the expiration of their term of office under the
   2-11  present Constitution, and until their successors are elected and
   2-12  qualified.>
   2-13        (d)  A person serving in the office of Chief Justice or
   2-14  Justice of the Supreme Court on January 1, 1996, to be eligible to
   2-15  serve in that office, must be licensed to practice law in this
   2-16  state, be a citizen of this state and the United States, have
   2-17  attained the age of 35 years, and have been a practicing lawyer, or
   2-18  a lawyer and judge of a court of record together, at least 10
   2-19  years.
   2-20        SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
   2-21  submitted  to the voters at an election to be held November 7,
   2-22  1995.  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against
   2-23  the proposition:  "The constitutional amendment to allow the
   2-24  legislature to establish the qualifications for justices of the
   2-25  supreme court and courts of appeals and judges of the court of
   2-26  criminal appeals."