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.