By Chisum                                              H.B. No. 164
         76R845 DB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to public statements on political issues by candidates for
 1-3     certain judicial offices.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 34.001(a), Government Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  Except as provided  by Section 34.005, a [A] person who
 1-8     has filed an application for a place on the ballot as provided by
 1-9     the Election Code for a judicial office listed in Subsection (b) is
1-10     subject to Canon 7, Code of Judicial Conduct, and is subject to
1-11     sanctions as provided by this chapter.
1-12           SECTION 2.  Chapter 34, Government Code, is amended by adding
1-13     Section 34.005 to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 34.005.  PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF POLITICAL ISSUES.
1-15     (a)  Notwithstanding the Code of Judicial Conduct, a candidate for
1-16     a judicial office listed in Section 34.001(b) may discuss that
1-17     candidate's general position on any political issue, except that
1-18     the candidate may not discuss a specific matter pending:
1-19                 (1)  before the court in which the candidate holds or
1-20     is seeking to hold office; or
1-21                 (2)  before a court from which an appeal may be had to
1-22     a court described by Subdivision (1).
1-23           (b)  The supreme court may not amend or adopt rules in
1-24     conflict with Subsection (a).
 2-1           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-2           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.