BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 841

By: Ordaz

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Measuring the performance of courts results in increased efficiencies, cost reductions, and promotes public transparency. Jurisdictions in Texas that have implemented court performance tools have reported reductions in costly backlogs, cost savings in the form of reductions in the consumption of jail bed days, and reductions in the time for case dispositions. For instance, since implementing court performance tools in 2015, El Paso County has reported a reduction of approximately 130,000 jail bed days. Fortunately, many counties in Texas already have court-level performance data, and funding to help smaller counties track data through case management software was appropriated in the 86th Texas Legislative Session. H.B. 841 seeks to further efficiency goals by requiring the Texas Judicial Council to gather case-level data to provide the judiciary, county commissioners courts, and the legislature with valuable information to identify inefficiencies.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Judicial Council in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 841 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Judicial Council (TJC), in gathering judicial statistics and other pertinent information from the several state judges and other court officials of the state, to gather case-level information on the amount and character of the business transacted by courts. The bill requires the TJC to adopt rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.