HBA-PDH H.B. 125 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 125
By: Puente
Judicial Affairs
4/5/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The current number of district courts in Bexar County is 19.  Using the
statewide ratio of district judges to population, the county should have
27.  Due to the lack of judges, Bexar County must rely on non-elected
visiting judges to accommodate the backlog of cases in the district courts.
Furthermore, it currently takes an average of 685 days to bring a case
involving a violent offense to trial in Bexar County.  H.B. 125 creates
five new district courts in Bexar County, providing for two courts giving
preference to civil cases, two courts giving preference to criminal cases,
and one court giving preference to juvenile matters. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code, by adding
Sections 24.524, 24.531, 24.532, 24.533, and 24.534, as follows: 

Sec. 24.524.  379TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (BEXAR COUNTY).  Creates the 379th
Judicial District of Bexar County.  Requires the 379th District Court to
give preference to criminal cases. 

Sec. 24.531.  386TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (BEXAR COUNTY).  Creates the 386th
Judicial District of Bexar County.  Requires the 386th District Court to
give preference to civil cases. 

Sec. 24.532.  387TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (BEXAR COUNTY).  Creates the 387th
Judicial District of Bexar County.  Requires the 387th District Court to
give preference to juvenile cases. 

Sec. 24.533.  388TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (BEXAR COUNTY).  Creates the 388th
Judicial District of Bexar County.  Requires the 388th District Court to
give preference to criminal cases. 

Sec. 24.534.  389TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (BEXAR COUNTY).  Creates the 389th
Judicial District of Bexar County.  Requires the 389th District Court to
give preference to civil cases. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.Emergency Clause.