HBA-EDN C.S.H.B. 3663 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3663
By: Thompson
Judicial Affairs
4/24/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the jurisdiction of the fifteen statutory county
criminal courts in Harris County is limited to Class A and Class B
misdemeanors and appeals from the justice and municipal courts within the
county. C.S.H.B. 3663 expands the courts' jurisdiction by permitting them
to hear civil cases ancillary to their criminal 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. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3663 amends the Government Code to delete the provision limiting
the jurisdiction of a county criminal court at law in Harris County to only
criminal matters.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3663 modifies the original by deleting the requirement that a
county criminal court at law in Harris County (court) give preference to
criminal matters.  The substitute provides that a court has the criminal
jurisdiction provided by law for county courts and appellate jurisdiction
in appeals of criminal cases from justice courts and municipal courts in
the county.