By Merritt                                            H.B. No. 3695
         77R14358 KLA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of an additional county court at law in
 1-3     Gregg County.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 25.0941, Government Code, is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 25.0941.  GREGG COUNTY. (a)  Gregg County has the
 1-8     statutory county courts provided by this section.
 1-9           (b)  Gregg County has a [one] statutory county court, the
1-10     County Court at Law No. 1 of Gregg County.
1-11           (c)  Gregg County has an additional statutory county court,
1-12     the County Court at Law No. 2 of Gregg County.
1-13           SECTION 2. (a)  Notwithstanding Section 25.0941, Government
1-14     Code, as amended by this Act, the County Court at Law No. 2 of
1-15     Gregg County is created only on a majority vote in favor of the
1-16     creation of the court by the qualified voters of that county at an
1-17     election held for that purpose.
1-18           (b)  As soon as possible after the effective date of this
1-19     Act, the Commissioners Court of Gregg County shall order an
1-20     election on the question of approving the creation of an additional
1-21     county court at law in Gregg County as provided by this Act.
1-22           (c)  An election ordered under Subsection (b) of this section
1-23     shall be held on the next uniform election date under Section
1-24     41.001, Election Code, that is on or after the 45th day following
 2-1     the date the election is ordered.
 2-2           (d)  The County Court at Law No. 2 of Gregg County is created
 2-3     January 1, 2003, only if a majority of the votes cast at the
 2-4     election favor the creation of the court.  The commissioners court
 2-5     shall send a copy of the order creating the court to the Office of
 2-6     Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System.
 2-7           (e)  If the creation of an additional county court at law in
 2-8     Gregg County is not approved by the voters before January 1, 2002,
 2-9     Section 25.0941(c), Government Code, as added by this Act, expires.
2-10           (f)  Except as otherwise provided by this section, an
2-11     election held under this section must be conducted as provided by
2-12     the Election Code.
2-13           SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 25.0009(c), Government
2-14     Code, the initial vacancy in the office of judge of the County
2-15     Court at Law No. 2 of Gregg County shall be filled by election.
2-16     The office exists for purposes of the primary and general elections
2-17     in 2002.  A vacancy after the initial vacancy is filled as provided
2-18     by Section 25.0009, Government Code.
2-19           SECTION 4. Except as provided by Section 3 of this Act, for
2-20     purposes of Section 201.027, Election Code, the effective date of
2-21     the Act creating the office is January 1, 2003.
2-22           SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-23     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-24     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-25     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-26     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.