BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1249 By: Montford Jurisprudence 4-27-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND There are 73 state district courts located in rural areas of Texas. These courts serve multiple counties and have an average of less than one judge per county. While judicial districts in urban areas generally have adequate funding for court coordinators, judges in rural areas do not have any similar form of help. Providing for rural court coordinators was a recommendation of the Citizens' Commission on the Texas Judicial System in 1993 and of the Judicial Committee on Court Funding. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1249 authorizes the legislature to provide funds for a court coordinator, computer equipment, and support personnel and services for a district court serving a judicial district with more than one county if each county has an average of less than one district judge. 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 75, Government Code, by adding Subchapter I, as follows: SUBCHAPTER I. COURT COORDINATORS; COMPUTER EQUIPMENT Sec. 75.531. FUNDS FOR COURT COORDINATORS AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENT. (a) Authorizes the legislature to provide funds for a court coordinator, computer equipment, and support personnel and services for a district court serving a judicial district with more than one county if each county has an average of less than one district judge. (b) Sets forth the method for determining the average number of district judges. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.