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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the establishment |
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of limits on the number of terms judges and justices may serve on |
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courts in this state. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article V, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
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adding Section 32 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32. (a) The legislature by general law shall require |
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the Supreme Court, in consultation with the Court of Criminal |
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Appeals, to establish a limit on the number of terms a judge or |
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justice may be elected to serve as a judge or justice of a court |
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established under this article, by the legislature under general |
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law, or by the governing body of a municipality by ordinance. |
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(b) A judge or justice who has been elected to serve on a |
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court for the maximum number of terms established by the Supreme |
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Court, in consultation with the Court of Criminal Appeals, as |
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required by Subsection (a) of this section is not eligible for |
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election to serve an additional term on that court. |
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(c) The term of a person appointed to serve on a court for |
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the remainder of a term or to fill a vacancy on the court is not |
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counted in determining whether the person is eligible to serve |
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under Subsection (b) of this section. |
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SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to |
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the Texas Constitution: |
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TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies |
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to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 85th Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2017, requiring the legislature by general law to |
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require the Supreme Court, in consultation with the Court of |
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Criminal Appeals, to establish a limit on the number of terms a |
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judge or justice may serve on a court in this state. |
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(b) The Supreme Court shall establish the limit as required |
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by the general law enacted under Subsection (a) of this temporary |
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provision not later than December 1, 2018. |
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(c) A term that begins before January 1, 2019, is not |
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counted in determining whether a judge or justice is eligible to |
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serve on a court under Section 32, Article V, of this constitution. |
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(d) This temporary provision expires February 1, 2039. |
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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 7, 2017. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment requiring the |
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legislature to establish term limits for judges and justices |
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serving on courts in this state." |