1-1     By:  Hartnett (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro)               H.B. No. 971

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 4, 1997;

 1-3     April 8, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-4     Jurisprudence; May 6, 1997, reported favorably by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 6, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the jurisdiction of county criminal courts in Dallas

 1-9     County.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 25.0593(a), Government Code, is amended

1-12     to read as follows:

1-13           (a)  A county criminal court in Dallas County has the

1-14     criminal jurisdiction, original and appellate, provided by the

1-15     constitution and law for county courts and concurrent jurisdiction

1-16     with county courts at law for Dallas County to hear appeals of the

1-17     suspension of driver's licenses and original proceedings regarding

1-18     occupational driver's licenses.

1-19           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-20           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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