1-1     By:  Harris                                           S.B. No. 1383

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 1997; March 19, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;

 1-4     April 23, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee

 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 23, 1997,

 1-6     sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1383                  By:  Harris

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to criminal law magistrates in Tarrant County.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 54.651, Government Code,

1-13     is amended to read as follows:

1-14           (a)  The judges of the district courts of Tarrant County that

1-15     give preference to criminal cases, [and] the judges of the criminal

1-16     district courts of Tarrant County, and the judges of the county

1-17     criminal courts of Tarrant County, with the consent and approval of

1-18     the Commissioners Court of Tarrant County, shall jointly appoint

1-19     the number of magistrates set by the commissioners court to perform

1-20     the duties authorized by this subchapter.

1-21           SECTION 2.  Subsection (a), Section 54.656, Government Code,

1-22     is amended to read as follows:

1-23           (a)  A judge may refer to a magistrate any criminal case for

1-24     proceedings involving:

1-25                 (1)  a negotiated plea of guilty before the court;

1-26                 (2)  a bond forfeiture;

1-27                 (3)  a pretrial motion;

1-28                 (4)  a postconviction writ of habeas corpus;

1-29                 (5)  an examining trial; [and]

1-30                 (6)  an occupational driver's license; and

1-31                 (7)  any other matter the judge considers necessary and

1-32     proper.

1-33           SECTION 3.  Section 54.659, Government Code, is amended to

1-34     read as follows:

1-35           Sec. 54.659.  COURT REPORTER.  At the request of a party in a

1-36     felony case, the court shall provide a court reporter to record the

1-37     proceedings before the magistrate.

1-38           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-39     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-40     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-41     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-42     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-43     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-44     passage, and it is so enacted.

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