RBT H.B. 3827 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3827
By: Counts
Judicial Affairs
4/26/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The 50th Judicial District is composed of Baylor, Cottle, King, and Knox
counties.  Currently, county judges in the 50th Judicial District can not
accept a not guilty plea.  In order to set a trial date and start
proceedings the county judge must 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 has the general criminal
jurisdiction of a county court. 

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, 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.