The bill, S.B. No. 1574, proposes the establishment of a "centers of excellence" program by the Texas Judicial Council aimed at identifying, supporting, and recognizing justices and judges who demonstrate exceptional service to their communities and the judiciary. The new legal language introduced in Section 71.040 of the Government Code outlines the criteria for awarding this recognition, which includes evaluating a justice's or judge's governance, access, fairness, case flow management, and compliance with various statutory and procedural requirements related to judicial operations.

Additionally, the bill specifies that justices and judges from various court levels—including appellate, district, statutory county, probate, county, justice, and municipal courts—are eligible to apply for this recognition. The program is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, and the provisions of the bill will only apply to those recognized under the program after this date.

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