Bill: HB 2088, 84(R) - 2015
Committee
House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Vote Recommendation
| Vote Recommendation |
Economic Freedom |
Property Rights |
Personal Responsibility |
Limited Government |
Individual Liberty |
| No |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Negative |
Neutral |
Author(s)
Justin Rodriguez
Bill Caption
Relating to an interim study regarding the method by which district judges and appellate justices and judges are selected.
Fiscal Notes
No significant fiscal implication to the State or local government.
Bill Analysis
HB 2088 would establish a
joint interim committee on judicial selection to study and review the method
by which statutory county court judges, including probate court judges, district
judges, and appellate justices and judges are selected for office in Texas.
The bill would require the committee to be composed of six senators and six members of the House of Representative. From the Senate, the chair of the senate affairs committee, the chair of the criminal justice committee, and four senators appointed by the lieutenant governor would be selected. From the House, the chair of the judiciary and civil jurisprudence committee, the chair of the criminal jurisprudence committee, and four representatives appointed by the speaker of the House would be selected. The bill would require the committee to report its findings and
recommendations, including specific constitutional and statutory
changes, by January 6, 2017 and would abolish the committee
on January 12, 2017.
Vote Recommendation Notes
This bill would study alternative methods to election of judges. The only real alternative method is appointment. The longstanding democratic tradition of electing judges has worked and continues to work in Texas. Moving to an appointment system would make the system less transparent and less responsive to voters. On that basis we oppose this legislation as a violation of limited government.
