By Thompson                                           H.J.R. No. 93
         76R7894 GGS-D                           
                                 A JOINT RESOLUTION
 1-1     proposing a constitutional amendment providing for a countywide
 1-2     referendum on various methods of judicial selection for Harris
 1-3     County district and statutory county courts.
 1-4           BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Article V, Texas Constitution, is amended by
 1-6     adding Section 32 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 32.   (a)  This section applies to Harris County
 1-8     district and statutory county courts notwithstanding conflicting
 1-9     provisions of this constitution.
1-10           (b)  At the general election to be held November 7, 2000, the
1-11     voters of Harris County shall be permitted to vote in a referendum
1-12     providing choices of the following methods of judicial selection
1-13     for the county's district and statutory county courts:
1-14                 (1)  nonpartisan elections by commissioners precinct
1-15     and by plurality vote;
1-16                 (2)  countywide elections by cumulative voting and by
1-17     plurality vote;
1-18                 (3)  nonpartisan countywide retention elections
1-19     following appointment by the governor, for district courts, and by
1-20     the county judge for statutory county courts, from a list of
1-21     nominations made by an elected nominating commission; and
1-22                 (4)  partisan countywide elections as provided under
1-23     current law.
1-24           (c)  The method of judicial selection receiving the most
 2-1     votes and with more than 30 percent of the total vote received
 2-2     shall be implemented beginning in 2002 in Harris County as provided
 2-3     by law.
 2-4           SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
 2-5     submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 1999.
 2-6     The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
 2-7     proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for a
 2-8     countywide referendum on various methods of judicial selection for
 2-9     Harris County district and statutory county courts."