BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 387 By: Turner Intergovernmental Relations 2-15-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND nThe three-county juvenile justice board of Milam, Falls, and Robertson counties are currently in the process of building a new juvenile justice center that will provide a 40-bed juvenile justice detention facility located in Rockdale in Milam County, Texas. The juvenile justice center will be built to provide office space for juvenile probation officers, court staff, and prosecutors. In addition, the building will have full courtroom facilities and a conference room. Current law does not allow counties having a population of under 30,000 to hold jury trials outside the county seat. The Milam County Courthouse was built in 1891 and only has one courtroom in which a jury trial can be conducted. Often, the county judge and the district judge have jury trial dockets that each require the use of the one courtroom that is presently available. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 387 authorizes counties with populations under 30,000 to maintain a branch courthouse outside the county seat and permits certain governmental entities to maintain a branch office and conduct authorized functions at the branch courthouse.. 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 Chapter 292B, Local Government Code, by adding Section 292.0231, as follows: Sec. 292.0231. FACILITIES IN COUNTIES WITH POPULATIONs UNDER 30,000. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a county with a population of less than 30,000. (b) Authorizes the commissioners court of a county to provide for, operate, and maintain a branch courthouse outside the county seat. Authorizes the commissioners court to provide for a branch courthouse by constructing a building or by purchasing, renting, or leasing office space. Requires the expense of operating and maintaining the branch courthouse to be paid from county funds used to operate and maintain other county buildings. (c) Provides that, if the branch courthouse is in a county-owned building, the commissioners court has care and custody of the building and may operate, maintain, and limit the use of the building as necessary. (d) Authorizes an office, department, facility, court, or another agency of the county, on approval of the commissioners court, to maintain a branch office in the branch courthouse, and conduct any function at the branch office that the entity is authorized to conduct at the courthouse. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.