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TX HJR140
Joint Resolution
Status
2/18/2025
Primary Sponsor
Janis Holt
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AI Summary
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Reduces the State Commission on Judicial Conduct from 13 members to 9 members, consisting of 4 judges/justices (2 appointed by the Supreme Court and 2 by the Court of Criminal Appeals) and 5 citizen members appointed by the Governor
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Eliminates the requirement for State Bar attorney members and removes the prohibition on citizen members being licensed attorneys, while maintaining the requirement that citizen members not hold salaried public office
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Removes the Commission's authority to issue private sanctions, requiring all admonitions, warnings, reprimands, and censures to be public
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Changes mandatory suspension from permissive ("may") to required ("shall") for judges indicted for felonies or charged with misdemeanors involving official misconduct, and allows suspensions to be with or without pay
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If approved by voters on November 4, 2025, the amendment takes effect January 1, 2026, with current commissioners continuing to serve until vacancies occur; temporary provisions expire January 1, 2031
Legislative Description
Proposing a constitutional amendment regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct and the authority of the commission and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.
Courts
Last Action
Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
3/19/2025