BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 3188 By: Craddick (Bivins) Jurisprudence 5-17-95 Senate Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The Midland County Courts at Law have jurisdictional limits which impede effective case management in the Midland courts. In addition, the current system for payment for county court at law judges, bailiffs, and court reporters, is not competitive given the scope of the courts' jurisdiction. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 3188 expands the concurrent jurisdiction of county courts at law and district courts in Midland County and levels the salary differences between the judges, bailiffs, and court reporters from county court at law judges and their district court counterparts. 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 25.1672(a), Government Code, to provide that a county court at law in Midland County has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in civil cases in which the matter in controversy is between $500 and $500,000, excluding interest, statutory or punitive damages and penalties, and attorney's fees and costs, as alleged on the face of the petition. SECTION 2. Amends Section 25.1672, Government Code, by adding Subsection (c), to authorize judges of the county courts at law and district courts in the county to exchange benches and courtrooms and to transfer cases between their dockets in the same manner that district court judges exchange benches and transfer cases. SECTION 3. Amends Section 25.1672(d), Government Code, to require the judge of a county court at law to be paid an annual salary that is at least equal to $1,000 less than the total annual salary of a district judge in the county and is entitled to receive educational expenses in at least the same manner and amount as the county judge, rather than at least 90 percent of a district judge's salary. Deletes a provision requiring the salary to be paid out of the county treasury. Requires the bailiffs and court reporters of the county courts at law to receive the same compensation, paid in the same manner, as the bailiffs and court reporters in the county district courts. SECTION 4. Amends Section 25.1672(g), Government Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 5. Repealer: Sections 25.1672(e) and (h)-(j), Government Code (relating to concurrent jurisdiction and rules between the Midland County courts at law and the district and county courts). SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 7. Emergency clause.