S.B. No. 667
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to criminal law magistrates.
    1-2        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-3        SECTION 1.  Article 2.09, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
    1-4  amended to read as follows:
    1-5        Art. 2.09.  WHO ARE MAGISTRATES.  Each of the following
    1-6  officers is a magistrate within the meaning of this Code:  The
    1-7  justices of the Supreme Court, the judges of the Court of Criminal
    1-8  Appeals, the justices of the Courts of Appeals, the judges of the
    1-9  District Court, the magistrates appointed by the judges of the
   1-10  district courts of Bexar County, Dallas County, <or> Tarrant
   1-11  County, or Travis County that give preference to criminal cases,
   1-12  the magistrates appointed by the judges of the district courts of
   1-13  Lubbock County, and the magistrates appointed by the judges of the
   1-14  criminal district courts of Dallas County or Tarrant County, the
   1-15  county judges, the judges of the county courts at law, judges of
   1-16  the county criminal courts, the judges of statutory probate courts,
   1-17  the justices of the peace, the mayors and recorders and the judges
   1-18  of the municipal courts of incorporated cities or towns.
   1-19        SECTION 2.  Article 4.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
   1-20  amended to read as follows:
   1-21        Art. 4.01.  WHAT COURTS HAVE CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.  The
   1-22  following courts have jurisdiction in criminal actions:
   1-23              1.  The Court of Criminal Appeals;
   1-24              2.  Courts of appeals;
    2-1              3.  The district courts;
    2-2              4.  The criminal district courts;
    2-3              5.  The magistrates appointed by the judges of the
    2-4  district courts of Bexar County, Dallas County, <or> Tarrant
    2-5  County, or Travis County that give preference to criminal cases and
    2-6  the magistrates appointed by the judges of the criminal district
    2-7  courts of Dallas County or Tarrant County;
    2-8              6.  The county courts;
    2-9              7.  All county courts at law with criminal
   2-10  jurisdiction;
   2-11              8.  County criminal courts;
   2-12              9.  Justice courts;
   2-13              10.  Municipal courts; and
   2-14              11.  The magistrates appointed by the judges of the
   2-15  district courts of Lubbock County.
   2-16        SECTION 3.  Section 54.976, Government Code, is amended to
   2-17  read as follows:
   2-18        Sec. 54.976.  PROCEEDINGS THAT MAY BE REFERRED.  (a)  A judge
   2-19  may refer to a magistrate any criminal case for proceedings
   2-20  involving:
   2-21              (1)  a negotiated plea of guilty and sentencing <before
   2-22  the court that has been given initial, but not final, approval by
   2-23  the referring judge>;
   2-24              (2)  a pretrial motion;
   2-25              (3)  an examining trial;
   2-26              (4)  a postconviction writ of habeas corpus;
   2-27              (5)  a bond forfeiture suit;
    3-1              (6)  issuance of search warrants;
    3-2              (7)  setting of bonds;
    3-3              (8)  arraignment of defendants; and
    3-4              (9)  any other matter the judge considers necessary and
    3-5  proper.
    3-6        (b)  A magistrate may not preside over a contested trial on
    3-7  the merits, regardless of whether the trial is before a jury.
    3-8        SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
    3-9        SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-10  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-11  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-12  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-13  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.