By Ratliff                                             S.R. No. 952

         75R17422 MLS-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 75th

 1-2     Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, That Senate Rule 12.03 be

 1-3     suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the

 1-4     conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on Senate

 1-5     Bill No. 20 to consider and take action on the following matter:

 1-6           Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the committee to

 1-7     add new SECTIONS 5 and 6 of the bill to read as follows:

 1-8           SECTION 5.  Section 24.185, Government Code, is amended to

 1-9     read as follows:

1-10           Sec. 24.185. 83RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT (PECOS, TERRELL, REAGAN,

1-11     VAL VERDE, AND UPTON COUNTIES).  (a)  The 83rd Judicial District is

1-12     composed of Pecos, Terrell, Reagan, Val Verde, and Upton counties.

1-13           (b)  The 83rd and 112th district courts have concurrent

1-14     jurisdiction in Pecos, Reagan, and Upton counties.

1-15           (c)  The 83rd and the 63rd district courts have concurrent

1-16     jurisdiction in Terrell and Val Verde counties.

1-17           (d)  The terms of the 83rd District Court begin:

1-18                 (1)  on the second [ninth] Monday [after the first

1-19     Mondays] in January and July;

1-20                 (2)  in Reagan County on the 14th Monday after the

1-21     first Mondays in January and July; and

1-22                 (3)  in Upton County on the 12th Monday after the first

1-23     Mondays in January and July.

1-24           (e) [(d)]  In each of the counties of Pecos, Terrell, Val

 2-1     Verde, and Upton, a petition or other pleading filed in the

 2-2     district courts  is sufficient if addressed "To The District Court

 2-3     of Pecos County, Texas," or "To The District Court of Terrell

 2-4     County, Texas," or "To The District Court of Upton County, Texas,"

 2-5     or "To The District Court of Val Verde County, Texas,"

 2-6     respectively, without giving the number of the district court in

 2-7     the address.

 2-8           [(e)  The secretary of state shall submit the changes made to

 2-9     this section by H.B. 3235 of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session,

2-10     to the U.S. Justice Department for preclearance under Section 5 of

2-11     the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 as amended (42 U.S.C. Section

2-12     1973 et seq.).  The changes made to this section by H.B. 3235 of

2-13     the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, become inoperative if the

2-14     U.S. Justice Department files a timely objection pursuant to

2-15     Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as amended.]

2-16           SECTION 6.  Section 43.133, Government Code, is amended to

2-17     read as follows:

2-18           Sec. 43.133.  63RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT.  (a)  The voters of the

2-19     63rd Judicial District elect a district attorney.

2-20           (b)  The district attorney for the 63rd district also acts as

2-21     district attorney for the 83rd Judicial District in Terrell and Val

2-22     Verde counties.

2-23           Explanation:  These additions are necessary to add Terrell

2-24     and Val Verde counties to the 83rd Judicial District.