By Merritt                                            H.B. No. 3507

         75R2264 SAW-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to granting the Gregg County Court at Law jurisdiction in

 1-3     family law matters.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 25.0942, Government Code, is amended by

 1-6     adding Subsection (a) to read as follows:

 1-7           (a)  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section

 1-8     25.0003 and other law, a county court of law in Gregg County has

 1-9     concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases

1-10     and proceedings.

1-11           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-12           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.