By:  Williams, Staples, Janek                                     S.B. No. 449


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the number of justices for the eighth and ninth courts 
of appeals districts.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subsection (h), Section 22.216, Government Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
	(h)  The Court of Appeals for the Eighth Court of Appeals 
District consists of a chief justice and two [three] justices.
	SECTION 2.  Subsection (i), Section 22.216, Government Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
	(i)  The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Court of Appeals 
District consists of a chief justice and three [two] justices.
	SECTION 3.  Notwithstanding Subsection (h), Section 22.216, 
Government Code, as amended by this Act, the Eighth Court of Appeals 
consists of a chief justice and three justices until a vacancy 
occurs or the term of a justice expires, whichever occurs first.  
Subsection (h), Section 22.216, Government Code, as amended by this 
Act, does not affect the office of a justice of the Eighth Court of 
Appeals serving on September 1, 2003, and the justice, unless 
otherwise removed, continues to serve for the term to which the 
justice was elected.
	SECTION 4.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of 
this section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.
	(b)  Section 2 of this Act takes effect January 1, 2005.