By:  Gallego                                           H.B. No. 454
       73R2860 RJA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the priority given to the hearing of certain matters by
    1-3  trial courts.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 23.101(a), Government Code, is amended to
    1-6  read as follows:
    1-7        (a)  The trial courts of this state shall regularly and
    1-8  frequently set hearings and trials of pending matters, giving
    1-9  preference to hearings and trials of the following:
   1-10              (1)  an offense under:
   1-11                    (A)  Section 21.11, Penal Code;
   1-12                    (B)  Chapter 22, Penal Code, if the victim of the
   1-13  alleged offense is younger than 17 years of age;
   1-14                    (C)  Section 25.02, Penal Code, if the victim of
   1-15  the alleged offense is younger than 17 years of age; or
   1-16                    (D)  Section 25.06, Penal Code;
   1-17              (2)  temporary injunctions;
   1-18              (3) <(2)>  criminal actions, other than those listed by
   1-19  Subdivision (1), with criminal actions against defendants who are
   1-20  detained in jail pending trial given preference over other criminal
   1-21  actions;
   1-22              (4) <(3)>  election contests and suits under the
   1-23  Election Code;
   1-24              (5) <(4)>  orders for the protection of the family
    2-1  under Section 3.581, 71.11, or 71.12, Family Code;
    2-2              (6) <(5)>  appeals of final rulings and decisions of
    2-3  the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission and claims under the
    2-4  Federal Employers' Liability Act  and the Jones Act;
    2-5              (7) <(6)>  suits for declaratory judgment under Section
    2-6  89.085, Natural Resources Code; and
    2-7              (8) <(7)>  appeals of final orders of the commissioner
    2-8  of the General Land Office under Section 51.3021, Natural Resources
    2-9  Code.
   2-10        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   2-11        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-12  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-13  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-14  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-15  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.