HBA-LCA H.B. 2876 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2876
By: Puente
Judicial Affairs
4/5/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires that an order referring a case to a magistrate be in
writing.  To save time, H.B. 2876 gives a judge the option of reading the
order of referral into the record when referring a case to a magistrate. 

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 Section 54.907(a), Government Code, to authorize a judge
to issue a written order of referral, or to read the order into the minutes
of the court, when referring one or more cases to a magistrate. 

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
            Effective date: upon passage.