By Cuellar                                       H.B. No. 605

      75R2627 MCK-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the eligibility requirements for the chief

 1-3     administrative law judge of the State Office of Administrative

 1-4     Hearings.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 2003.022(b), Government Code, is amended

 1-7     to read as follows:

 1-8           (b)  To be eligible for appointment as chief administrative

 1-9     law judge, an individual must:

1-10                 (1)  be licensed to practice law in this state; and

1-11                 (2)  have practiced law, have conducted administrative

1-12     hearings under Chapter 2001, or have a combination of experience in

1-13     those two activities, both for at least four years [be board

1-14     certified in administrative law; and]

1-15                 [(3)  have at least five years' experience in

1-16     conducting administrative hearings under Chapter 2001].

1-17           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-22     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-23     passage, and it is so enacted.