By Solomons H.B. No. 1291
75R8726 GWK-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the jurisdiction of justice and municipal courts.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Article 4.11(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-5 amended to read as follows:
1-6 (a) Justices of the peace shall have original jurisdiction
1-7 in criminal cases:
1-8 (1) punishable by fine only; or
1-9 (2) punishable by:
1-10 (A) a fine; and
1-11 (B) as authorized by statute, a sanction not
1-12 consisting of confinement or imprisonment [that is rehabilitative
1-13 or remedial in nature].
1-14 SECTION 2. Article 4.14(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-15 amended to read as follows:
1-16 (c) In this article, an offense which is punishable by "fine
1-17 only" is defined as an offense that is punishable by fine and such
1-18 sanctions, if any, as authorized by statute not consisting of
1-19 confinement in jail or imprisonment [that are rehabilitative or
1-20 remedial in nature].
1-21 SECTION 3. Section 29.003(c), Government Code, is amended to
1-22 read as follows:
1-23 (c) In this section, an offense which is punishable by "fine
1-24 only" is defined as an offense that is punishable by fine and such
2-1 sanctions, if any, as authorized by statute not consisting of
2-2 confinement in jail or imprisonment [that are rehabilitative or
2-3 remedial in nature].
2-4 SECTION 4. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies
2-5 only to jurisdiction for the trial of an offense committed on or
2-6 after the effective date of this Act. For purposes of this
2-7 section, an offense is committed before the effective date of this
2-8 Act if any element of the offense occurs before the effective date.
2-9 (b) Jurisdiction for the trial of an offense committed
2-10 before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in
2-11 effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is
2-12 continued in effect for that purpose.
2-13 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-14 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.