By McReynolds H.B. No. 2229
75R7165 MWV-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals
1-3 District.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 22.201(a), Government Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 (a) The state is divided into 15 [14] courts of appeals
1-8 districts with a court of appeals in each district.
1-9 SECTION 2. Section 22.201(j), Government Code, is amended to
1-10 read as follows:
1-11 (j) The Ninth Court of Appeals District is composed of the
1-12 counties of [Angelina,] Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty,
1-13 Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, and Tyler.
1-14 SECTION 3. Section 22.201, Government Code, is amended by
1-15 adding Subsection (p) to read as follows:
1-16 (p) The Fifteenth Court of Appeals District is composed of
1-17 Angelina County.
1-18 SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
1-19 amended by adding Section 22.2151 to read as follows:
1-20 Sec. 22.2151. FIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS. The Court of
1-21 Appeals for the Fifteenth Court of Appeals District shall be held
1-22 in the city of Lufkin.
1-23 SECTION 5. Section 22.216, Government Code, is amended by
1-24 adding Subsection (o) to read as follows:
2-1 (o) The Court of Appeals for the Fifteenth Court of Appeals
2-2 District consists of a chief justice and two justices.
2-3 SECTION 6. Section 31.001, Government Code, is amended to
2-4 read as follows:
2-5 Sec. 31.001. Authority For County Payment Of Compensation.
2-6 The commissioners courts in the counties of each of the [14] courts
2-7 of appeals districts may pay an amount not to exceed $15,000 a year
2-8 to each of the justices of the courts of appeals residing within
2-9 the court of appeals district that includes those counties. The
2-10 payment is for all judicial and administrative services performed
2-11 by the justices.
2-12 SECTION 7. The governor shall appoint, with the advice and
2-13 consent of the senate, one chief justice and two justices for the
2-14 Fifteenth Court of Appeals District. Each appointee must meet the
2-15 qualifications prescribed by law for justices of the courts of
2-16 appeals. An appointee serves until the next general election for
2-17 state and county officers.
2-18 SECTION 8. This Act does not affect the jurisdiction on
2-19 appeal of any case from a county that is transferred by this Act to
2-20 a different court of appeals district if the transcripts for the
2-21 case were filed before the effective date of this Act in the
2-22 appropriate court of appeals district.
2-23 SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
2-24 SECTION 10. The importance of this legislation and the
2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.