BWH C.S.H.B. 3190 75(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


COUNTY AFFAIRS
C.S.H.B. 3190
By: Stiles
4-16-97
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND 

Currently, commissioner's courts are only allowed to authorize nonjury
court proceedings outside the municipality designated as the county seat.
In some counties, correctional facilities are located outside the
municipality designated as the county seat. Inmates must be transported to
the municipality for jury trials, causing safety concerns.  

In Jefferson County, a correctional complex is located between Port Arthur
and Beaumont, the county seat.  This area is also a possible site for
future juvenile justice and court facilities.  In the course of
transporting prisoners to Beaumont, two escapes have occurred.   

PURPOSE

The bill would allow commissioner's courts to authorize jury trials at
auxiliary county seat courts. 

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 292.002(b), Local Government Code, by striking
"nonjury" from the description of permissible auxiliary court proceedings. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute is a Legislative Council draft of the original, and there
is no substantive change.