BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 768 By: Craddick 4-20-95 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND Section 74.121(b) of the Government Code allows a statutory county court judge to transfer a case to the docket of a district court judge with the consent on the district judge. The statutes do not authorize the judges of these courts to make exchanges of benches and cases with each other on matters of concurrent jurisdiction. PURPOSE This bill would allow statutory county court judges and district judges to exchange benches and transfer cases on matters of concurrent jurisdiction. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1 amends Tex. Gov't Code § 74.121(b) to allow statutory county court judges and judges of district courts to exchange benches and courtrooms with each other and to transfer cases between their dockets in matters of concurrent jurisdiction. SECTION 2. Effective date. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee Amendment No. 1 provides that the exchange of benches or transfer of cases is subject to the approval of all parties to the case. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to a public notice posted on April 6, 1995, the Committee on Judicial Affairs met in a formal meeting on April 20, 1995, to consider H.B. 768. The Chair laid out H.B. 768 and explained the bill. The Chair offered, laid out and explained committee amendment #1. The Chair moved adoption of the amendment. There being no objection, the amendment was adopted. Rep. Goodman moved that H.B. 768, as amended, be reported favorably back to the full House with the recommendation that it do pass, be printed and sent to the Local & Consent Calendars Committee. The motion prevailed by the following record vote: 6 ayes, 0 nays, 0 PNV and 3 absent.