HBA-NLM H.B. 561 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 561 By: Puente Judicial Affairs 2/26/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE No new county courts of law have been formed in Bexar County since 1985. Since then, the population has increased, resulting in a decreasing ratio of judges per capita. H.B. 561 creates three new county courts at law in Bexar County. County Court at Law No. 10 of Bexar County will give preference to civil cases. County Courts at Law Nos.11 and 12 will give preference to criminal cases and appeals de novo from the municipal and justice courts. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.0171(b), Government Code, to include County Courts at Law Nos. 10, 11, and 12 of Bexar County, Texas, among the list of county courts which exist in Bexar County. Makes a nonsubstantive change. SECTION 2. Amends Section 25.0172, Government Code, as follows: (b) Requires the County Court at Law No.10 to give preference to civil cases. (c) Includes County Courts at Law Nos. 6,11, and 12 among the courts required to give preference to criminal cases and appeals de novo from the municipal and justice courts. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (d) Includes County Courts at Law Nos.10,11, and 12 among the courts having six terms of court beginning on the first Mondays in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (l) Includes County Court at Law No. 10,11, or 12 among the courts which are authorized to appoint or elect a special county judge, if the judge is absent, disabled, or disqualified from presiding, according to the existing provisions of this subdivision. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (n) Includes the County Courts at Law Nos.10,11, or 12 among the list of courts that the criminal district attorney is required by the judge to attend. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (o) Includes the judge of the County Court at Law No.10,11, or 12 among the list of judges authorized to appoint a court coordinator or administrative assistant for the court, with the approval of the commissioners court. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (u) Includes County Courts at Law Nos.10,11, and 12 among the list of county courts in which the official court reporter's fee shall be taxed as costs in civil actions. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (v) Includes County Courts at Law Nos.10,11, and 12 of Bexar County among the list of county courts which are exempt from the provisions of Section 25.0006 (a) and 25.0006 (b), Government Code (Bond; Removal). Section 25.0006 states that the judge of a statutory count court must execute a bond as prescribed by law for county judges and that the judge of a statutory count court may be removed from office in the same manner and for the same reasons as a county judge. Makes a nonsubstantive change. SECTION 3. Provides that County Courts at Law Nos. 10,11, and 12 of Bexar County, Texas, are created and that this Act takes effect September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.