77R10562 JMC-F                          
         By Harris                                              S.B. No. 250
         Substitute the following for S.B. No. 250:
         By Thompson                                        C.S.S.B. No. 250
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the persons who are eligible for appointment as a
 1-3     temporary justice of the peace.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 27.055, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection (f) to read
 1-7     as follows:
 1-8           (c)  In Subsection (b), "qualified person" means a person:
 1-9                 (1)  who:
1-10                       (A)  has served as a:
1-11                             (i)  justice of the peace for not less than
1-12     4-1/2 years;
1-13                             (ii)  master or magistrate for a district
1-14     court; or
1-15                             (iii)  judge of a constitutional county
1-16     court, statutory county court, or district court; or
1-17                       (B)  is requested by the regular justice of the
1-18     peace of the court to be appointed to serve as temporary justice of
1-19     the peace and the request is submitted to the county judge in
1-20     writing; and
1-21                 (2)  who has not been convicted of a criminal offense
1-22     that involves moral turpitude.
1-23           (e)  The county judge may appoint any qualified voter under
1-24     Section 11.002, Election Code, to serve as a temporary justice of
 2-1     the peace if the judge cannot find a qualified person [who agrees]
 2-2     to serve under Subsection (b).
 2-3           (f)  A person who is appointed to serve as a temporary
 2-4     justice of the peace and who serves in that capacity for more than
 2-5     three days in a calendar year shall complete an educational course
 2-6     that is:
 2-7                 (1)  specifically designed for temporary justices of
 2-8     the peace; and
 2-9                 (2)  provided by the same entity that provides the
2-10     educational courses required under Section 27.005.
2-11           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
2-12     applies only to the appointment of a person under Section 27.055,
2-13     Government Code, made on or after that date.  An appointment made
2-14     before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
2-15     effect at the time the appointment is made, and that law is
2-16     continued in effect for that purpose.