HBA-KMH H.B. 1634 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1634
By: Krusee
Judicial Affairs
4/7/1999
Introduced


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, Williamson County has two county courts at law.  The last county
court was created in 1989. Since the addition of the second county court at
law in Williamson County, the number of filed cases has increased 68
percent, and dispositions have increased 108 percent.  Recently, Williamson
County has experienced a population increase of more than 50 percent, and
an Austin Transportation Study predicts that Williamson County's population
will increase nearly 400 percent in the next 25 years.  At present, the
County Court at Law No. 1 and the County Court at Law No. 2 of Williamson
County are backlogged.  The creation of an additional statutory court can
help to relieve the crowded dockets. The commissioners court has pledged
support for an additional county court at law by setting aside $800,000 in
the county's budget to fund it. 

H.B. 1634 creates County Court at Law No. 3 of Williamson County. 

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 25.2481, Government Code, to create County Court
at Law No. 3 of Williamson County. Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.