1-1     By:  Goodman, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Moncrief)      H.B. No. 1916

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 3, 1997;

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

 1-4     Jurisprudence; April 30, 1997, reported favorably, as amended, by

 1-5     the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 30, 1997, sent to

 1-6     printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1                               By:  Duncan

 1-8     Amend HB 1916 as follows:

 1-9     On page 1, lines 41-42, strike:

1-10     "The County Criminal Courts Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Tarrant County

1-11     also have"

1-12     and insert in lieu thereof

1-13     "The County Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County also has"

1-14                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

1-15                                   AN ACT

1-16     relating to county criminal courts in Tarrant County.

1-17           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-18           SECTION 1.  Section 25.2221(b), Government Code, is amended

1-19     to read as follows:

1-20           (b)  Tarrant County has the following county criminal courts:

1-21                 (1)  County Criminal Court No. 1 of Tarrant County;

1-22                 (2)  County Criminal Court No. 2 of Tarrant County;

1-23                 (3)  County Criminal Court No. 3 of Tarrant County;

1-24                 (4)  County Criminal Court No. 4 of Tarrant County;

1-25                 (5)  County Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County;

1-26                 (6)  County Criminal Court No. 6 of Tarrant County;

1-27                 (7) [(6)]  County Criminal Court No. 7 of Tarrant

1-28     County;

1-29                 (8) [(7)]  County Criminal Court No. 8 of Tarrant

1-30     County;

1-31                 (9) [(8)]  County Criminal Court No. 9 of Tarrant

1-32     County;  and

1-33                 (10) [(9)]  County Criminal Court No. 10 of Tarrant

1-34     County.

1-35           SECTION 2.  Section 25.2223, Government Code, is amended by

1-36     amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (l) to read as

1-37     follows:

1-38           (a)  A county criminal court in Tarrant County has

1-39     jurisdiction over all criminal matters and causes, original and

1-40     appellate, prescribed by law for county courts, but does not have

1-41     civil jurisdiction.  The County Criminal Courts Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6

1-42     of Tarrant County also have concurrent jurisdiction within the

1-43     county of all appeals from criminal convictions under the laws of

1-44     this state and the municipal ordinances of the municipalities

1-45     located in Tarrant County that are appealed from the justice courts

1-46     and municipal courts in the county.  The County Criminal Courts

1-47     Nos. 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of Tarrant County also have concurrent

1-48     jurisdiction with the district court in felony cases to conduct

1-49     arraignments, conduct pretrial hearings, and accept guilty pleas.

1-50           (l)  The County Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County shall

1-51     give preference to cases brought under Title 5, Penal Code,

1-52     involving family violence as defined by Section 71.01, Family Code,

1-53     and cases brought under Sections 25.07 and 42.072, Penal Code.

1-54           SECTION 3.  Sections 25.2221(d) and 25.2225, Government Code,

1-55     are repealed.

1-56           SECTION 4.  (a)  The County Criminal Court of Appeals of

1-57     Tarrant County is redesignated as the County Criminal Court No. 5

1-58     of Tarrant County.

1-59           (b)  The judge of the County Criminal Court of Appeals of

1-60     Tarrant County shall fill the initial vacancy in the office of

1-61     judge of the County Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County.  Unless

1-62     otherwise removed, the judge serves until December 31, 1998, and

1-63     until the judge's successor is elected and has qualified.  In the

1-64     1998 general election and every four years thereafter, the

 2-1     qualified voters of the county shall elect a judge of the County

 2-2     Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County for a regular term of four

 2-3     years.

 2-4           SECTION 5.  Notwithstanding Section 25.2223(c), Government

 2-5     Code, the initial term of the County Criminal Court No. 5 of

 2-6     Tarrant County ends December 31, 1998.  The commissioners court

 2-7     shall determine terms after the initial term as provided by Section

 2-8     25.2223(c), Government Code.

 2-9           SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-10           SECTION 7.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-11     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-12     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-13     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-14     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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