BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        H.B. 1481
                                             By: McCall (Shapiro)
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                          5-17-95
                                Senate Committee Report (Amended)
BACKGROUND

The Collin County Commissioners Court voted to ask the 74th
Legislature to create an additional court at law for Collin County,
to expand the probate jurisdiction of the county's courts at law,
and to renumber the existing courts at law.

There are currently 185 statutory county courts in Texas.  These
courts were designed to alleviate the county judge of judicial
responsibilities and to ease the docket load of district courts. 
These courts exist in 74, mostly urban, counties and are funded
almost entirely by the counties authorized to establish such
courts.  

Countywide, multimember at-large elections in urban areas exist not
only in the context of judicial elections.  These systems may
result in diluting minority voting strength.  Texas is currently
defending a number of suits challenging countywide, multimember,
at-large elections for judicial candidates in urban areas and is
required to preclear changes in its elections system to ensure that
racial minority voting strength is not diluted.  The U.S. Justice
Department has refused to preclear any new multimember, urban
district or county courts in Texas since 1989.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1481 creates an additional County Court at Law in
Cameron County, renumbers existing county courts at law, and
expands the probate jurisdiction for county courts at law in
Cameron County.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.0451, Government Code, to renumber the
first county court at law of Collin County as County Court at Law
No. 1 of Collin County, and to include County Court at Law No. 4 of
Collin County in the list of Collin County courts at law.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 25.0452, Government Code, by adding
Subsection (h), to prohibit a person sitting in the capacity of
judge in County Court at Law No. 4 of Collin County from sitting as
an assigned judge in Bexar, Dallas, Ector, Fort Bend, Harris,
Jefferson, Lubbock, Midland, Tarrant, or Travis County.

SECTION 3. Provides that the County Court at Law No. 4 of Collin
County is created October 1, 1995, or on an earlier date determined
by the commissioners court.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 5. Emergency clause.