HBA-RBT, ATS H.B. 3827 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3827 By: Counts Judicial Affairs 7/7/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 50th Judicial District is composed of Baylor, Cottle, King, and Knox counties. Prior to the 76th Legislature, county judges in the 50th Judicial District were precluded from accepting or receiving guilty pleas in cases other than misdemeanor cases. In order to set a trial date and start proceedings, the county judge had to turn the case over to the district judge. H.B. 3827 provides that the district court in Baylor, Cottle, King, and Knox counties has the civil jurisdiction of a county court in addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, rather than the civil and criminal jurisdiction of a county court except for the jurisdiction each county court retains to receive and enter guilty pleas in misdemeanor cases. This bill also provides that the county court of Cottle County has the general criminal jurisdiction of a county court but has no other civil jurisdiction. 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 24.152(b), Government Code, to provide that the district court in Baylor, Cottle, King, and Knox counties has the civil jurisdiction of a county court in addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, rather than the civil and criminal jurisdiction of a county court except for the jurisdiction each county court retains to receive and enter guilty pleas in misdemeanor cases. SECTION 2. Amends Section 26.151, Government Code, to provide that the county court of Cottle County has the general criminal jurisdiction of a county court. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.