By Thompson                                           H.J.R. No. 24

         75R1503 SAW-F                           

                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION

 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment granting the supreme court

 1-2     jurisdiction to answer questions of law certified from the court of

 1-3     criminal appeals and granting the court of criminal appeals

 1-4     jurisdiction to answer questions of law certified from the supreme

 1-5     court.

 1-6           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-7           SECTION 1.  Section 3-c, Article V, Texas Constitution, is

 1-8     amended to read as follows:

 1-9           Sec. 3-c.   (a)  The supreme court and the court of criminal

1-10     appeals have jurisdiction to answer questions of state law

1-11     certified from a federal appellate court.

1-12           (b)  The supreme court has jurisdiction to answer questions

1-13     of law, other than criminal law, certified from the court of

1-14     criminal appeals.

1-15           (c)  The court of criminal appeals has jurisdiction to answer

1-16     questions of criminal law certified from the supreme court.

1-17           (d)  The supreme court and the court of criminal appeals

1-18     shall promulgate rules of procedure relating to the review of those

1-19     questions.

1-20           SECTION 2.  The following temporary provision is added to the

1-21     Texas Constitution:

1-22           TEMPORARY PROVISION.  (a)  This temporary provision applies

1-23     to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 75th Legislature,

1-24     Regular Session, 1997, granting the supreme court jurisdiction to

 2-1     answer questions of law certified from the court of criminal

 2-2     appeals and granting the court of criminal appeals jurisdiction to

 2-3     answer questions of law certified from the supreme court.

 2-4           (b)  The amendment takes effect January 1, 1998.

 2-5           (c)  This temporary provision expires January  2, 1998.

 2-6           SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be

 2-7     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 1997.

 2-8     The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the

 2-9     proposition:  "The constitutional amendment granting the supreme

2-10     court jurisdiction to answer questions of law certified from the

2-11     court of criminal appeals and granting the court of criminal

2-12     appeals jurisdiction to answer questions of law certified from the

2-13     supreme court."