By Zbranek                                            H.B. No. 3197
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to recording of proceedings in a county court at law in
    1-3  Liberty County.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 25.1482, Government Code, is amended by
    1-6  adding Subsection (o) to read as follows:
    1-7        (o)  A judge of a county court at law may provide that any
    1-8  criminal proceeding in the county court at law be recorded by a
    1-9  good quality electronic recording device instead of by a court
   1-10  reporter, unless the defendant requests that a court reporter be
   1-11  present upon written motion filed with the court not later than 10
   1-12  days prior to trial.  If a recording device is used, the court
   1-13  reporter need not be present at the proceeding to certify the
   1-14  statement of facts.
   1-15        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-16  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-17  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-18  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-19  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-20  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-21  passage, and it is so enacted.