PMWJ C.S.H.B. 844 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS JUDICIAL AFFAIRS H.B. 844 By: McReynolds C.S.H.B. 844 By: Thompson 4-28-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND The district attorney for the 1st Judicial District now represents the state in district court for the counties of Newton, Sabine, and San Augustine. The prosecution of felony crimes in Newton County is handled by the District Attorney for the First Judicial District of Texas. Newton County has seen a particularly high increase in the number of cases referred to the District Attorney's office. The number of juvenile referrals which are handled by the District Attorney's office has also increased significantly. This increase in the number of cases has reduced the ability of the District Attorney's office to effectively prosecute each case. PURPOSE This bill removes Newton County from the 1st Judicial District district attorney district and creates a new Judicial District 1-A district attorney district composed of Newton County. 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 Gov't Code ' 43.101 to remove Newton County from the 1st Judicial District Attorney district. SECTION 2 adds Section 43.1015 to the Government Code to create the Judicial District 1-A district attorney district composed of Newton County. The district attorney for Judicial District 1-A represents the state in the district courts in Newton County. SECTION 3 provides that the office district attorney for Judicial District 1-A exists for the purpose of the general election in 1998. The first term shall begin January 1, 1999, and last two years; each term thereafter will be a full four-year term. Vacancies after the initial vacancy are to be filled as provided by Tex. Const. art. IV, ' 12. SECTION 4. Effective dates. SECTION 5. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE Sections 1 and 2 in both versions of the bill are identical. Section 3 of the original bill amended Government Code ' 46.002 to add the district attorney for Judicial District 1-A to the list of professional prosecutors in the Professional Prosecutors Act; this does not appear in the substitute. Sections 4, 5 and 6 in the original bill become Sections 3, 4 and 5, respectively, in the substitute.