By Nixon                                              H.J.R. No. 26
         76R2832 JMC-D                           
                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment changing the requirements for
 1-2     persons serving as district judges.
 1-3           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 7, Article V, Texas Constitution, is
 1-5     amended to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 7.  (a)  The State shall be divided into judicial
 1-7     districts, with each district having one or more Judges as may be
 1-8     provided by law or by this Constitution.
 1-9           (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (f) of this section,
1-10     each [Each] district judge shall be elected by the qualified voters
1-11     at a General Election and shall be a citizen of the United States
1-12     and of this State, who is licensed to practice law in this State,
1-13     who has been licensed to practice law in one or more states,
1-14     districts, or territories of the United States for a total of ten
1-15     (10) years before taking office, who [and] has been a practicing
1-16     lawyer or a Judge [of a Court in this State], or both combined, for
1-17     ten (10) [four (4)] years before taking office [next preceding his
1-18     election], who has resided in this State for one (1) year before
1-19     taking office [the district in which he was elected for two (2)
1-20     years next preceding his election], and who shall reside in the
1-21     [his] district during the judge's [his] term of office and hold
1-22     [his] office for the period of four (4) years, and who shall
1-23     receive for the judge's [his] services an annual salary to be fixed
1-24     by the Legislature.
 2-1           (c)  The Court shall conduct its proceedings at the county
 2-2     seat of the county in which the case is pending, except as
 2-3     otherwise provided by law.
 2-4           (d)  The district judge [He] shall hold the regular terms of
 2-5     [his] Court at the County Seat of each County in the [his] district
 2-6     in such manner as may be prescribed by law.  The Legislature shall
 2-7     have power by General or Special Laws to make such provisions
 2-8     concerning the terms or sessions of each Court as it may deem
 2-9     necessary.
2-10           (e)  The Legislature shall also provide for the holding of
2-11     District Court when the Judge thereof is absent, or is from any
2-12     cause disabled or disqualified from presiding.
2-13           (f)  A person serving in the office of district judge on
2-14     January 1, 2000, to be eligible to serve as a district judge, must
2-15     be elected by the qualified voters at a General Election, be a
2-16     citizen of the United States and of this State, be licensed to
2-17     practice law in this State, have been a practicing lawyer or a
2-18     Judge of a Court in this State, or both combined, for four (4)
2-19     years next preceding the judge's election, have resided in the
2-20     district in which elected for two (2) years next preceding
2-21     election, and reside in the district during the judge's term of
2-22     office.
2-23           SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
2-24     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1999.
2-25     The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against
2-26     the proposition: "The constitutional amendment to require that
2-27     judges of the district courts have practiced law for 10 years
 3-1     before taking office and have resided in the state for one year
 3-2     before taking office."