BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        S.B. 1708
                                                    By: Wentworth
                                                 Criminal Justice
                                                          5-12-95
                                     Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Currently, the county attorney of Medina County maintains a private
practice in addition to performing her public duties which has
resulted in a backlog of cases in the county court at law.  Medina
County has requested the authority to authorize the district
attorney to try civil cases in county court in order to alleviate
the backlog.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1708 sets forth additional responsibilities for
the district attorney of the 38th judicial district.

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 43.123, Government Code, as follows:

     Sec. 43.123.  38TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT.  (a)  Created from
     existing text.
     
     (b)  Provides that the district attorney of the 38th
       judicial district also represents the state in all criminal
       cases and in all juvenile matters under Title 3, Family
       Code, in the county court at law, county court, and the
       justice of the peace courts in Medina County.
       
       (c)  Authorizes the commissioners court of Medina County to
       provide funding to the district attorney for the prosecution
       of misdemeanor and juvenile cases and to determine the
       amount and the manner of payment of the funding provided to
       the district attorney under this section.
       
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.