1-1     By:  Lewis of Tarrant (Senate Sponsor - Harris)       H.B. No. 3588

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 1997;

 1-3     May 9, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal

 1-4     Justice; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to criminal law magistrates in Tarrant County.

 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-10           SECTION 1.  Section 54.651(a), Government Code, is amended to

1-11     read as follows:

1-12           (a)  The judges of the district courts of Tarrant County that

1-13     give preference to criminal cases, [and] the judges of the criminal

1-14     district courts of Tarrant County, and the judges of the county

1-15     criminal courts of Tarrant County, with the consent and approval of

1-16     the Commissioners Court of Tarrant County, shall jointly appoint

1-17     the number of magistrates set by the commissioners court to perform

1-18     the duties authorized by this subchapter.

1-19           SECTION 2.  Section 54.656(a), Government Code, is amended to

1-20     read as follows:

1-21           (a)  A judge may refer to a magistrate any criminal case for

1-22     proceedings involving:

1-23                 (1)  a negotiated plea of guilty before the court;

1-24                 (2)  a bond forfeiture;

1-25                 (3)  a pretrial motion;

1-26                 (4)  a postconviction writ of habeas corpus;

1-27                 (5)  an examining trial; [and]

1-28                 (6)  an occupational driver's license; and

1-29                 (7)  any other matter the judge considers necessary and

1-30     proper.

1-31           SECTION 3.  Section 54.659, Government Code, is amended to

1-32     read as follows:

1-33           Sec. 54.659.  COURT REPORTER.  At the request of a party in a

1-34     felony case, the court shall provide a court reporter to record the

1-35     proceedings before the magistrate.

1-36           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-37     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-38     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-39     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-40     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-41     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-42     passage, and it is so enacted.

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