HBA-BSM H.B. 2679 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2679
By: Capelo
Judicial Affairs
3/20/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Increased dockets of the courts of Nueces County require more citizens to
be called for jury service. Under current law, only the district judges of
Nueces County are authorized to impanel juries.  The impaneling process
might be improved and expedited if the statutory county court judges are
able to equally participate in the process of impaneling of juries.  House
Bill 2679 authorizes statutory county court judges in Nueces County to
impanel juries. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2679 amends the Government Code to authorize the judges of the
county courts at law in Nueces County to impanel a general panel of jurors
for service in the district and statutory county courts of the county in
the same manner as the judges of district courts are authorized to impanel
a general jury. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.