PMWJ C.S.S.B. 970 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS JUDICIAL AFFAIRS S.B. 970 By: Wentworth (Puente) 5-5-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Bexar County currently has terms of court that last two months. Under the current law, a one-term extension can be granted, giving Bexar County prosecutors only four months to bring an indictment against a suspect after an arrest. In complicated cases, this may be insufficient time. PURPOSE This bill increases the terms of courts in Bexar County from two months to six months and deletes a conflicting requirement that the 289th district court give preference to criminal cases. 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 24.139(d), Government Code, to provide for six-month terms for the 144th, 175th, 186th, 187th, 226th, 227th, and 290th district courts and deletes the requirement that the 289th Judicial District give preference to criminal cases (Sec. 24.466 requires the 289th district court to give preference to cases under the Family Code and secondary preference to criminal cases). SECTION 2 amends Section 24.466(c), Government Code, to provide for a six-month term of court for the 289th district court. SECTION 3 repeals Sections 24.366(c), 24.404(c), 24.405(c), and 24.467(c) of the Government Code, which set terms for the 187th, 226th, 227th and 290th district courts, respectively. SECTION 4. Effective date. SECTION 5. Emergency clause.