BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        S.B. 1415
                                                   By: Barrientos
                                                    Jurisprudence
                                                          4-27-95
                                     Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Travis County has four county courts for criminal cases.  The
legislature has not created a new county court for Travis County
since 1987.  Travis County is requesting a new county court that
would give preference to family violence cases.  A family violence
court will allow for proper handling and monitoring of these cases. 
The court can facilitate coordination between various support
services within the community and reduce the time between the
incident and disposition.  Currently, 11 months elapse on average
between the incident and the disposition of a family violence case.

Family violence cases make up a significant portion of the cases
handled by the Travis County Courts at Law.  The Austin Police
Department reports a 550 percent increase in family violence
assault arrests since 1991.  From 1989 to 1993, 45 percent of the
victims served by the Victim Services Division of the police
department were victims of family violence.  The next highest
category of cases are child sexual abuse which compose 20 percent
of the individuals served.

From 1985 to 1994, the number of criminal cases filed and disposed
in Travis County Courts at Law increased by 62 and 85 percent,
respectively.  Over the same period, Bexar, Dallas, El Paso,
Harris, Nueces, and Tarrant counties experienced an aggregate
increase of 7 percent in cases filed and an increase of 18 percent
in cases disposed in the county courts.  During this same period,
the number of assault cases handled in Travis County Courts at Law
increased by 1108 percent.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1415 creates the County Court at Law Number 4 of
Travis 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 25.2291(a), Government Code, to add the
County Court at Law Number 4 of Travis County (court) to the list
of statutory courts in Travis County.  Makes conforming changes.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 25.2292, Government Code, to require the
court to give preference to cases in which family violence is
alleged.

SECTION 3. Provides that the court is created January 1, 1997.

SECTION 4. Requires the initial vacancy at the court to be filled
by election.  Provides that the office of judge of the court exists
for purposes of the primary and general election in 1996.  Requires
the qualified voters of the county to elect the initial court judge
at the general election in 1996 for a two-year term beginning
January 1, 1997.  Requires the court judge to be elected thereafter
for a four-year term.  Provides that a vacancy after the initial
vacancy is filled as provided by Section 25.0009, Government Code.

SECTION 5. Emergency clause.
           Effective date:  90 days after adjournment.