By:  Raymond                                          H.B. No. 1522
       73R5302 NSC-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to creating the offense of trying a misdemeanor case in a
    1-3  justice court with improper venue.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 39, Penal Code, is amended by adding
    1-6  Section 39.05 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 39.05.  IMPROPER VENUE IN JUSTICE COURT.  (a)  A justice
    1-8  of the peace commits an offense if the justice tries a misdemeanor
    1-9  case for which the justice court does not have proper venue under
   1-10  Article 4.12 or 45.22, Code of Criminal Procedure.
   1-11        (b)  An offense under this section is punishable by a fine of
   1-12  not less than $100 or more than $500.
   1-13        (c)  An offense under this section is a misdemeanor involving
   1-14  official misconduct for the purpose of Article 4.05, Code of
   1-15  Criminal Procedure.
   1-16        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   1-17        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.