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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the election of |
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district judges from election subdistricts. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 7, Article V, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 7. The State shall be divided into judicial districts, |
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with each district having one or more Judges as may be provided by |
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law or by this Constitution. The judicial districts may be divided |
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into election subdistricts. Each district judge shall be elected |
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by the qualified voters of the district or, if the district is |
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divided into election subdistricts, of those subdistricts, at a |
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General Election. Each district judge [and] shall be a citizen of |
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the United States and of this State, who is licensed to practice law |
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in this State and has been a practicing lawyer or a Judge of a Court |
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in this State, or both combined, for four (4) years next preceding |
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the judge's [his] election, who has resided in the district in which |
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the judge [he] was elected for two (2) years next preceding the |
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judge's [his] election, and who shall reside in the [his] district |
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during the judge's [his] term of office and hold the [his] office |
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for the period of four (4) years, and who shall receive for the |
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judge's [his] services an annual salary to be fixed by the |
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Legislature. The Court shall conduct its proceedings at the county |
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seat of the county in which the case is pending, except as otherwise |
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provided by law. A district judge [He] shall hold the regular terms |
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of the judge's [his] Court at the County Seat of each County in the |
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judge's [his] district in such manner as may be prescribed by law. |
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The Legislature shall have power by General or Special Laws to make |
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such provisions concerning the terms or sessions of each Court as it |
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may deem necessary. |
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The Legislature shall also provide for the holding of |
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District Court when the Judge thereof is absent, or is from any |
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cause disabled or disqualified from presiding. |
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SECTION 2. Section 7a(i), Article V, Texas Constitution, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2009. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the |
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creation of election subdistricts from which district judges may be |
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elected." |