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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorizing the attorney general to petition the chief |
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justice of the supreme court to convene a special three-judge |
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district court in certain circumstances. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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Section 22A.001, Government Code, is amended by amending |
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Subsection (a) to read as follows: |
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Sec. 22A.001. ELIGIBLE PROCEEDINGS. (a) The attorney |
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general may petition the chief justice of the supreme court to |
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convene a special three-judge district court in any suit filed in a |
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district court in this state in which this state or a state officer |
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or agency is a defendant in a claim that: |
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(1) challenges the finances or operations of this |
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state's public school system, including a challenge to |
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accountability under Chapter 39, Subchapters C, D, and F, Education |
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Code; or |
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(2) involves the apportionment of districts for the |
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house of representatives, the senate, the State Board of Education, |
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or the United States Congress, or state judicial districts. |
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(b) A petition filed by the attorney general under this |
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section stays all proceedings in the district court in which the |
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original case was filed until the chief justice of the supreme court |
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acts on the petition. |
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(c) Within a reasonable time after receipt of a petition |
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from the attorney general under Subsection (a), the chief justice |
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of the supreme court shall grant the petition and issue an order |
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transferring the case to a special three-judge district court |
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convened as provided by Section 22A.002. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |