AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the terms of the district courts in Bowie County.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subsection (d), Section 24.105, Government Code,

 1-4     is amended to read as follows:

 1-5           (d)  The terms of the 5th District Court begin:

 1-6                 (1)  in Bowie County on the first Mondays in January

 1-7     and[, April,] July[, and October]; and

 1-8                 (2)  in Cass County on the first Mondays in February,

 1-9     May, August, and November.

1-10           SECTION 2.  Subsection (b), Section 24.204, Government Code,

1-11     is amended to read as follows:

1-12           (b)  The terms of the 102nd District Court begin:

1-13                 (1)  in Bowie County on the first Mondays in January

1-14     and[, April,] July[, and October]; and

1-15                 (2)  in Red River County on the first Mondays in

1-16     February, May, August, and November.

1-17           SECTION 3.  Subsection (d), Section 24.381, Government Code,

1-18     is amended to read as follows:

1-19           (d)  The terms of the 202nd District Court begin on the first

1-20     Mondays in January and[, April,] July[, and October].  During each

1-21     term of court in Bowie County, the court may sit in Texarkana to

1-22     try, hear, and determine any civil nonjury case, may hear and

1-23     determine motions, agreements, and other nonjury civil matters that

 2-1     come before the court, and may hear and determine any criminal

 2-2     nonjury matters, including pleas of guilty, both felony and

 2-3     misdemeanor, when a jury has been waived.  This subsection does not

 2-4     limit the court's power to hear those matters in Boston.

 2-5           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-6           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 24 passed the Senate on

         May 5, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 24 passed the House on

         May 28, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

         Approved:

         _______________________________

                     Date

         _______________________________

                   Governor