HBA-KMH H.B. 3412 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3412 By: Merritt Judicial Affairs 3/25/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 75th Legislature granted the Gregg County Court at Law concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases and proceedings. This enabled the judge of the county court at law to hear uncontested divorce and other family cases. The Gregg County Board of Judges has requested that the court at law be granted concurrent jurisdiction with all district courts in Gregg County. H.B. 3412 grants the Gregg County Court at Law concurrent jurisdiction with all the districts courts to hear all civil cases and all criminal cases except capital murder. 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 25.0942(a), Government Code, to provide that the county court of law in Gregg County has concurrent with the district court the jurisdiction provided by the constitution and general law for district courts, except as limited by proposed Subsection (b) of this Act. Makes nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 25.0942, Government Code, by adding Subsection (b), as follows: (b) Provides that a county court at law does not have jurisdiction of felony cases involving capital murder. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.