By:  Smithee                                          H.C.R. No. 83
       73R2396 SMC-D
                                 CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, Citizens who use the courts, whether as litigants,
    1-2  witnesses, or jurors, as well as the personnel who work in the
    1-3  courts, should be and should feel secure when conducting business
    1-4  in the courts; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, Providing adequate and secure facilities for the
    1-6  operation of state courts should be a proper function of our state
    1-7  government as it is in many other states; and
    1-8        WHEREAS, The housing of these courts remains almost
    1-9  exclusively the responsibility of local governments; because of
   1-10  this local reliance, the nature of state court facilities varies
   1-11  widely from county to county; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, Some counties have provided modern courtrooms,
   1-13  comprehensive libraries, comfortable places for jurors to wait or
   1-14  deliberate, and appropriate security for all who use the courts;
   1-15  other counties have not been willing or able to do so; and
   1-16        WHEREAS, In the past, inadequate facilities have hampered the
   1-17  administration of justice, and deficient security has resulted in
   1-18  injury and even death to citizens and officers of the court; now,
   1-19  therefore, be it
   1-20        RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
   1-21  hereby request the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of
   1-22  representatives to create a joint interim study committee on court
   1-23  facilities and security with the goal of providing supplemental
   1-24  state funds to ensure that adequate facilities and security be
    2-1  provided to every courtroom in the state; and, be it further
    2-2        RESOLVED, That the committee make a complete report,
    2-3  including findings and recommendations and drafts of any
    2-4  legislation considered necessary, to the 74th Legislature when it
    2-5  convenes in January 1995; and, be it further
    2-6        RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be
    2-7  governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim
    2-8  committees as the 73rd Legislature may adopt and that such rules
    2-9  and policies supersede the provisions of this resolution to the
   2-10  extent of any conflict.