85R1442 YDB-F
By: Huffines S.B. No. 109
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a limit on the number of terms a
judge or justice may serve on a court in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 22.021 to read as follows:
Sec. 22.021. JUDICIAL TERM LIMITS. (a) The supreme court
by rule, in consultation with the court of criminal appeals, shall
establish a limit on the number of terms a judge or justice may be
elected to serve as the judge or justice of a court established
under the Texas Constitution, under state statutory law, or by
municipal ordinance.
(b) The term limits established in the rules adopted under
Subsection (a) may not allow a judge or justice to serve as a judge
or justice of any one court for more than 18 years.
(c) The limit on the number of terms a judge or justice may
serve as the judge or justice of a court as provided by Subsection
(a) applies only to service on that court. A judge or justice may
serve on more than one court for a number of terms that exceeds the
limit, provided the number of terms on any one court does not exceed
the limit established for service as a judge or justice on that
court.
(c-1) A term that begins before January 1, 2019, is not
counted in determining whether a judge or justice is eligible to
serve on a court under Section 32, Article V, Texas Constitution.
This subsection expires February 1, 2039.
(c-2) The supreme court shall establish the term limits as
required by Subsection (a) not later than December 1, 2018. This
subsection expires December 1, 2019.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2018, but only
if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 85th Legislature,
Regular Session, 2017, limiting to two the number of terms for which
a person may be elected or appointed to hold certain state offices
and requiring the legislature to establish limits on the number of
terms judges and justices may serve on courts in this state is
approved by the voters. If that amendment is not approved by the
voters, this Act has no effect.