By Smith                                              H.J.R. No. 38
         76R4474 JMC-D                           
                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment changing the experience
 1-2     requirement for 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 has been a practicing lawyer or a Judge of a
1-13     Court, or both combined, for eight (8) years next preceding the
1-14     judge's election, who is licensed to practice law in this State and
1-15     has been a practicing lawyer or a Judge of a Court in this State,
1-16     or both combined, for four (4) years next preceding the judge's
1-17     [his] election, who has resided in the district in which the judge
1-18     [he] was elected for two (2) years next preceding the judge's [his]
1-19     election, and who shall reside in the [his] district during the
1-20     judge's [his] term of office and hold [his] office for the period
1-21     of four (4) years, and who shall receive for the judge's [his]
1-22     services an annual salary to be fixed by the Legislature.
1-23           (c)  The Court shall conduct its proceedings at the county
1-24     seat of the county in which the case is pending, except as
 2-1     otherwise provided by law.
 2-2           (d)  The district judge [He] shall hold the regular terms of
 2-3     [his] Court at the County Seat of each County in the [his] district
 2-4     in such manner as may be prescribed by law.  The Legislature shall
 2-5     have power by General or Special Laws to make such provisions
 2-6     concerning the terms or sessions of each Court as it may deem
 2-7     necessary.
 2-8           (e)  The Legislature shall also provide for the holding of
 2-9     District Court when the Judge thereof is absent, or is from any
2-10     cause disabled or disqualified from presiding.
2-11           (f)  A person serving in the office of district judge on
2-12     January 1, 2000, to be eligible to serve as a district judge, must
2-13     be elected by the qualified voters at a General Election, be a
2-14     citizen of the United States and of this State, be licensed to
2-15     practice law in this State, have been a practicing lawyer or a
2-16     Judge of a Court in this State, or both combined, for four (4)
2-17     years next preceding the judge's election, have resided in the
2-18     district in which elected for two (2) years next preceding
2-19     election, and reside in the district during the judge's term of
2-20     office.
2-21           SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
2-22     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1999.
2-23     The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against
2-24     the proposition: "The constitutional amendment to require that
2-25     judges of the district courts have practiced law for eight years
2-26     before being elected to office."