By Hawley H.B. No. 3214 74R7992 MLR-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of a statutory county court in Bee County. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Government Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Sections 25.0151 and 25.0152 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 25.0151. BEE COUNTY. Bee County has one statutory 1-7 county court, the County Court at Law of Bee County. 1-8 Sec. 25.0152. BEE COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS. (a) In 1-9 addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and other 1-10 law, a county court at law in Bee County has: 1-11 (1) concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in 1-12 family law cases and proceedings; and 1-13 (2) notwithstanding any law granting exclusive 1-14 jurisdiction to the district court, concurrent jurisdiction with 1-15 the district court in criminal cases. 1-16 (b) A county court at law has concurrent jurisdiction with 1-17 the justice court in all criminal matters prescribed by law for 1-18 justice courts. This subsection does not affect the right of 1-19 appeal to a county court at law from a justice court where the 1-20 right of appeal to the county court exists by law. 1-21 (c) The judge may appoint a court coordinator or 1-22 administrative assistant for a county court at law. A court 1-23 coordinator or administrative assistant performs the duties 1-24 prescribed by the judge and cooperates with the administrative 2-1 judges and state agencies for the uniform and efficient operation 2-2 of the courts and the administration of justice. The court 2-3 coordinator or administrative assistant is entitled to be paid from 2-4 county funds the compensation, fees, and allowances set by the 2-5 commissioners court or as otherwise provided by law. 2-6 (d) The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at 2-7 law in matters of concurrent jurisdiction with the district court, 2-8 and the county clerk shall serve as clerk of a county court at law 2-9 in all other cases. The commissioners court shall provide the 2-10 deputy clerks, bailiffs, and other personnel necessary to operate a 2-11 county court at law. 2-12 (e) The county attorney and the county sheriff shall attend 2-13 a county court at law as required by the judge. 2-14 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 25.0151, Government Code, 2-15 as added by this Act, the County Court at Law of Bee County is 2-16 created January 1, 1998, or on an earlier date determined by the 2-17 commissioners court by an order entered in its minutes. 2-18 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.