ZEM H.B. 785 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS CIVIL PRACTICES H.B. 785 By: Gallego 3-18-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Current law mandates that a suit against a county must be brought in that county. However, the same protection is not specifically afforded to cities, hospital districts, or any other political subdivisions of the state. Thus, some governmental entities have found themselves named as defendants in lawsuits in parts of the state other than the county in which they are located. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 785 would provide that venue in a suit against any governmental subdivision of the state would be proper only in the county in which the governmental entity is located. This may save governmental entities litigation fees, travel expenses, and other costs associated with such suits. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 15.015, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, as follows: Section 15.015. Changes heading from "Counties" to "Political Subdivisions". (a) Provides that an action against a governmental subdivision must be brought in the county where the governmental subdivision is located. (b) Defines "political subdivision" as any governmental entity that is not a state agency and including a counties, cities, school or junior college districts, hospital districts, and any special purpose district. SECTION 2. Effective Date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 3. Applies prospectively; savings clause. SECTION 4. Emergency Clause.