By Solis                                              H.B. No. 3176
         77R5173 JMC-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to eligibility for assignment as a visiting judge.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 74, Government Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 74.063 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 74.063.  GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT:  ELECTED TO
 1-7     JUDICIAL OFFICE. A judge or justice is eligible for assignment
 1-8     under this chapter or Chapter 75 only if the judge or justice was
 1-9     elected to a judicial office at least once before the date of
1-10     assignment.
1-11           SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to
1-12     the assignment of a judge or justice under Chapter 74 or 75,
1-13     Government Code, made on or after the effective date of this Act.
1-14     An assignment made before the effective date of this Act is
1-15     governed by the law in effect at the time the assignment is made,
1-16     and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-17           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-18     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-19     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-20     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-21     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.