By Keel H.B. No. 658 76R3057 JMC-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the exclusion of certain criminal proceedings from the 1-3 proceedings that may be referred to a criminal law magistrate in 1-4 Travis County. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 54.976(a), Government Code, is amended to 1-7 read as follows: 1-8 (a) A judge may refer to a magistrate any criminal case for 1-9 proceedings involving: 1-10 (1) a negotiated plea of guilty and sentencing; 1-11 (2) a pretrial motion; 1-12 (3) an examining trial; 1-13 (4) a postconviction writ of habeas corpus; 1-14 (5) a bond forfeiture suit; 1-15 (6) issuance of search warrants; 1-16 (7) setting of bonds; 1-17 (8) arraignment of defendants; and 1-18 (9) any other matter the judge considers necessary and 1-19 proper other than a contested hearing on a motion to revoke 1-20 community supervision or a motion to adjudicate if the prosecutor 1-21 or the defendant objects to the referral of the contested hearing. 1-22 SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only 1-23 to a referral of a criminal proceeding under Section 54.976, 1-24 Government Code, as amended by this Act, made on or after the 2-1 effective date of this Act. A referral of a criminal proceeding 2-2 under Section 54.976, Government Code, as amended by this Act, made 2-3 before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in 2-4 effect on the date the referral was made, and the former law is 2-5 continued in effect for that purpose. 2-6 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-7 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.