By McReynolds, et al. H.B. No. 844
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of the office of district attorney for
1-3 Judicial District 1-A and to the abolition of the jurisdiction of
1-4 the district attorney for the 1st Judicial District in Newton
1-5 County.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. Section 43.101, Government Code, is amended to
1-8 read as follows:
1-9 Sec. 43.101. 1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT. The voters of [Newton,]
1-10 Sabine[,] and San Augustine counties elect a district attorney for
1-11 the 1st Judicial District who represents the state in that district
1-12 court only in those counties.
1-13 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 43, Government Code, is
1-14 amended by adding Section 43.1015 to read as follows:
1-15 Sec. 43.1015. JUDICIAL DISTRICT 1-A. (a) The voters of
1-16 Newton County elect a district attorney for Judicial District 1-A
1-17 who represents the state in that district court only in that
1-18 county.
1-19 (b) The district attorney of Judicial District 1-A also acts
1-20 as the district attorney for the 1st Judicial District in Newton
1-21 County.
1-22 (c) No county funds shall be expended for the purpose of
1-23 establishing the office of district attorney for Judicial District
1-24 1-A without approval of a majority of the commissioners court.
2-1 SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 41.010, Government Code,
2-2 the initial vacancy in the office of district attorney for Judicial
2-3 District 1-A on creation of the office shall be filled by election.
2-4 The office of district attorney for Judicial District 1-A exists
2-5 for purposes of the primary and general elections in 1998. The
2-6 qualified voters of the county shall elect the initial district
2-7 attorney for Judicial District 1-A at the general election in 1998
2-8 for a two-year term beginning January 1, 1999. Thereafter, the
2-9 district attorney shall be elected for a four-year term as provided
2-10 by Section 65, Article XVI, Texas Constitution. A vacancy after
2-11 the initial vacancy is filled as provided by Section 12, Article
2-12 IV, Texas Constitution.
2-13 SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
2-14 section, this Act takes effect January 1, 1999.
2-15 (b) Section 3 of this Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-16 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
2-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.