By:  Duncan                                            S.B. No. 452

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the eligibility requirements for the chief

 1-2     administrative law judge of the State Office of Administrative

 1-3     Hearings.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Section 2003.022, Government

 1-6     Code, is amended to read as follows:

 1-7           (b)  To be eligible for appointment as chief administrative

 1-8     law judge, an individual must:

 1-9                 (1)  be licensed to practice law in this state; and

1-10                 (2)  for at least five years, have:

1-11                       (A)  practiced administrative law;

1-12                       (B)  conducted administrative hearings under

1-13     Chapter 2001; or

1-14                       (C)  engaged in a combination of the two

1-15     activities listed in Paragraphs (A) and (B) [be board certified in

1-16     administrative law; and]

1-17                 [(3)  have at least five years' experience in

1-18     conducting administrative hearings under Chapter 2001].

1-19           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-1     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-2     passage, and it is so enacted.