Bill Text: TX HJR202 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment regarding the composition of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-24 - Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence [HJR202 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HJR202-Introduced.html

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By: Murr H.J.R. No. 202

A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment regarding the composition of
the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1-a(2) and Section 1-a(5), Article V,
Texas Constitution, is amended to read as follows:
(2) The State Commission on Judicial Conduct consists
of thirteen (13) members, to wit: (i) one (1) Justice of a Court of
Appeals; (ii) one (1) District Judge; (iii) [two (2) members of the
State Bar, who have respectively practiced as such for over ten (10)
consecutive years next preceding their selection;] [(iv)] seven (7)
[five (5)] citizens, at least thirty (30) years of age, not
[licensed to practice law nor] holding any salaried public office
or employment; (iv) [(v)] one (1) Justice of the Peace; (v) [(vi)]
one (1) Judge of a Municipal Court; (vi) [(vii)] one (1) Judge of a
County Court at Law; and (vii) [(viii)] one (1) Judge of a
Constitutional County Court; provided that no person shall be or
remain a member of the Commission, who does not maintain physical
residence within this State, or who shall have ceased to retain the
qualifications above specified for that person's respective class
of membership, and provided that a Commissioner of class (i), (ii),
[(iii),] (vi) [(vii)], or (vii) [(viii)] may not reside or hold a
judgeship in the same court of appeals district as another member of
the Commission. Commissioners of classes (i), (ii), (vii), and
(viii) above shall be chosen by the Supreme Court with advice and
consent of the Senate, [those of class (iii) by the Board of
Directors of the State Bar under regulations to be prescribed by the
Supreme Court with advice and consent of the Senate,] those of class
(iii) [(iv)] by appointment of the Governor with advice and consent
of the Senate, and the commissioners of classes (iv) and (v) [and
(vi)] by appointment of the Supreme Court as provided by law, with
the advice and consent of the Senate.
(5) The Commission may hold its meetings, hearings and
other proceedings at such times and places as it shall determine but
shall meet at Austin at least once each year. The governor [It]
shall annually select one of the Commission's [its] members as
Chairman. A quorum shall consist of seven (7) members. Proceedings
shall be by majority vote of those present, except that
recommendations for retirement, censure, suspension, or removal of
any person holding an office named in Paragraph A of Subsection (6)
of this Section shall be by affirmative vote of at least seven (7)
members.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment regarding the
composition of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct and the
removal of justices and judges from office."