By Danburg                                      H.B. No. 3143

      75R1721 MWV-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the qualifications of a judge of a statutory county

 1-3     court of Harris County.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 25.1032(e), Government Code, is amended

 1-6     to read as follows:

 1-7           (e)  The judge of a county civil court at law must have been

 1-8     a licensed and practicing member of the state bar for at least 10

 1-9     [five] years.

1-10           SECTION 2.  Section 25.1033(e), Government Code, is amended

1-11     to read as follows:

1-12           (e)  The judge of a county criminal court at law must have

1-13     been a licensed and practicing member of the state bar for at least

1-14     10 [five] years before appointment or election.

1-15           SECTION 3.  Section 25.1034(c), Government Code, is amended

1-16     to read as follows:

1-17           (c)  The judge of a statutory probate court must:

1-18                 (1)  be well informed in the laws of the state; and

1-19                 (2)  have been a licensed and practicing member of the

1-20     state bar for at least 10 [five consecutive] years before

1-21     appointment or election.

1-22           SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act relating to

1-23     the qualifications for a judge of a statutory county court of

1-24     Harris County apply only to persons elected or appointed on or

 2-1     after the effective date of this Act.  A judge elected or appointed

 2-2     before the effective date of this Act serves for the term to which

 2-3     elected or appointed unless otherwise removed from office.

 2-4           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-9     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-10     passage, and it is so enacted.