By Kamel                                              H.B. No. 3504

         75R8634 MLS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the jurisdiction of the county courts at law in Smith

 1-3     County.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 25.2142(a-1), Government Code, is amended

 1-6     to read as follows:

 1-7           (a-1)  A county court at law does not have jurisdiction of:

 1-8                 (1)  capital felony cases or felonies of the first or

 1-9     second degree;

1-10                 (2)  suits on behalf of the state to recover penalties,

1-11     forfeiture, or escheat;

1-12                 (3)  misdemeanors involving official misconduct; or

1-13                 (4)  contested elections.

1-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-15           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-16     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-17     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-18     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-19     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.