By Ratliff S.B. No. 20
Substitute the following for S.B. No. 20:
By Thompson C.S.S.B. No. 20
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of certain district courts.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Effective September 1, 1997, Subchapter C,
1-5 Chapter 24, Government Code, is amended by adding Sections 24.524,
1-6 24.538 and 24.540 through 24.541 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 24.524. 379th Judicial District (Bexar County). (a)
1-8 The 379th Judicial District is composed of Bexar County.
1-9 (b) The 379th District Court shall give preference to
1-10 criminal cases.
1-11 Sec. 24.538. 393rd Judicial District (Bexar County). (a)
1-12 The 393rd Judicial District is composed of Bexar County.
1-13 (b) The 393rd District Court shall give preference to
1-14 juvenile matters.
1-15 Sec. 24.540. 395th Judicial District (Fort Bend County).
1-16 (a) The 395th Judicial District is composed of Fort Bend County.
1-17 (b) The 395th District Court shall give preference to civil
1-18 matters.
1-19 Sec. 24.541. 396th Judicial District (Tarrant County). (a)
1-20 The 396th Judicial District is composed of Tarrant County.
1-21 (b) The 396th District Court shall give preference to
1-22 criminal cases.
1-23 SECTION 2. Effective January 1, 1999, Subchapter C, Chapter
1-24 24, Government Code, is amended by adding Sections 24.542 through
2-1 24.549 to read as follows:
2-2 Sec. 24.542. 397th Judicial District (Harris County). (a)
2-3 The 397th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.
2-4 (b) The 397th Judicial District shall give preference to
2-5 juvenile matters.
2-6 Sec. 24.543. 398th Judicial District (Galveston County).
2-7 (a) The 398th Judicial District is composed of Galveston County.
2-8 (b) The 398th Judicial District shall give preference to
2-9 cases under the Family Code.
2-10 Sec. 24.544. 399th Judicial District (Travis County). The
2-11 399th Judicial District is composed of Travis County.
2-12 Sec. 24.545. 400th Judicial District (Nueces County). (a)
2-13 The 400th Judicial District is composed of Nueces County.
2-14 (b) The 400th District Court shall give preference to
2-15 juvenile matters.
2-16 Sec. 24.546. 401st Judicial District (Tom Green County).
2-17 The 401st Judicial District is composed of Tom Green County.
2-18 Sec. 24.547. 402nd Judicial District (Webb County). (a)
2-19 The 402nd Judicial District is composed of Webb County.
2-20 (b) The 402nd District Court shall give preference to cases
2-21 involving family violence and cases under the Family Code.
2-22 Sec. 24.548. 403rd Judicial District (Fort Bend County).
2-23 (a) The 403rd Judicial District is composed of Fort Bend County.
2-24 (b) The 403rd Judicial District shall give preference to
2-25 cases under the Family Code.
2-26 Sec. 24.549. 404th Judicial District (Cameron County). (a)
2-27 The 404th Judicial District is composed of Cameron County.
3-1 (b) The 404th Judicial District shall give preference to
3-2 juvenile matters.
3-3 SECTION 3. Effective January 1, 2001, Section 24.121,
3-4 Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
3-5 Sec. 24.121. 20TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (FALLS, MILAM, AND
3-6 ROBERTSON COUNTIES [COUNTY]). (a) The 20th judicial district is
3-7 composed of Falls, Milam, and Robertson counties [County].
3-8 (b) The terms of court of the 20th District Court begin on
3-9 the first [third] Mondays in January[, May,] and [September] July.
3-10 SECTION 4. Effective January 1, 1999, Section 24.184,
3-11 Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
3-12 Sec. 24.184. 82ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT (FALLS, MILAM, AND
3-13 ROBERTSON COUNTIES). The 82nd judicial district is composed of
3-14 Falls, Milam, and Robertson counties.
3-15 (b) The terms of the 82nd District Court begin on the first
3-16 Mondays in January and July.
3-17 SECTION 5. The initial vacancies in the offices of judges of
3-18 the 397th through 404th Judicial Districts shall be filled by
3-19 election. The offices exist for purposes of the primary and
3-20 general elections in 1998. Vacancies after the initial vacancies
3-21 are filled as provided by Section 28, Article V, Texas
3-22 Constitution.
3-23 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.