By Wilson                                              H.B. No. 702
         76R3104 MLS-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the qualifications of justices of the peace in certain
 1-3     counties.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 27, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 27.0055 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 27.0055.  EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR JUSTICES OF THE
 1-8     PEACE IN CERTAIN COUNTIES.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection
 1-9     (b), a justice of  the peace in a county with a population of
1-10     250,000 or more must:
1-11                 (1)  be at least 25 years of age; and
1-12                 (2)  be a licensed attorney in this state.
1-13           (b)  A person is exempt from the requirements of Subsection
1-14     (a)  if:
1-15                 (1)  the person successfully completes the 40-hour
1-16     course described by Section 27.005; and
1-17                 (2)  no licensed attorney:
1-18                       (A)  files an application to be placed on the
1-19     ballot for the office of justice of the peace 15 days before the
1-20     filing deadline for the primary election for the election in which
1-21     the office is filled; or
1-22                       (B)  expresses an interest in being appointed to
1-23     a vacancy in the office of justice of the peace to the
1-24     commissioners court before the 30th day after the vacancy becomes
 2-1     effective.
 2-2           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
 2-3     applies only to a justice of the peace elected or appointed on or
 2-4     after the effective date of this Act.  A justice of the peace
 2-5     elected or appointed before the effective date of this Act is
 2-6     governed by the law in effect at the time the justice of the peace
 2-7     was elected or appointed, and that law is continued in effect for
 2-8     that purpose.
 2-9           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.