By Zbranek                                             H.B. No. 216

      75R1123 MWV-F                           

                                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, 2000, but only

1-17     if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 75th Legislature,

1-18     Regular Session, 1997, 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.