78R160 YDB-D

By:  Howard                                                     H.J.R. No. 20 



A JOINT RESOLUTION

proposing a constitutional amendment requiring certain complaints 
and reports received by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to 
be sworn.
	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                       
	SECTION 1.  Section 1-a(7), Article V, Texas Constitution, 
is amended to read as follows:
		(7)  The Commission shall keep itself informed as fully 
as may be of circumstances relating to the misconduct or disability 
of particular persons holding an office named in Paragraph A of 
Subsection (6) of this Section, receive sworn complaints or 
reports, formal or informal, from any source in this behalf and make 
such preliminary investigations as it may determine.  Its orders 
for the attendance or testimony of witnesses or for the production 
of documents at any hearing or investigation shall be enforceable 
by contempt proceedings in the District Court or by a Master.
	SECTION 2.   The following temporary provision is added to 
the Texas Constitution:
	TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a)  This temporary provision applies to 
the constitutional amendment proposed by the 78th Legislature, 
Regular Session, 2003, requiring certain complaints and reports 
received by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to be sworn.
	(b)  The amendment takes effect January 1, 2004, and applies 
only to a complaint or report received by the State Commission on 
Judicial Conduct on or after the effective date of the amendment.
	(c)  This temporary provision takes effect on the adoption of 
the amendment by the voters and expires January 2, 2005.
	SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be 
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2003.  
The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the 
proposition: "The constitutional amendment requiring certain 
complaints and reports received by the State Commission on Judicial 
Conduct to be sworn."