BILL ANALYSIS C.S.S.B. 576 By: Brown Criminal Justice 3-15-95 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND In February 1995, Attorney General Opinion DM-320 ruled that the justice courts do not have jurisdiction of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission offenses of minor in possession, consumption of alcohol by a minor, and an adult selling alcohol to a minor because the offenses include a "sanction" of alcohol awareness courses. The opinion also said that the legislature has not given the justice courts jurisdiction where such "sanctions" may be imposed. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 576 grants original jurisdiction to justices of the peace in certain criminal misdemeanor cases. 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 Article 4.11, Code of Criminal Procedure, as follows: Art. 4.11. JURISDICTION OF JUSTICE COURTS. (a) Sets forth the criminal misdemeanor cases that require a justice of the peace to have original jurisdiction. (b) Provides that the fact that a conviction in a justice court or municipal court has as a consequence the imposition of penalty or sanction by an agency or entity other than the court, such as a denial, suspension, or revocation of a privilege, does not affect the original jurisdiction of the justice court. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.