By Junell                                              H.B. No. 929
         76R1483 DB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of a judicial district composed of Tom
 1-3     Green County.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 24.541 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 24.541. 396TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (TOM GREEN COUNTY).  (a)
 1-8     The 396th Judicial District is composed of Tom Green County.
 1-9           (b)  The terms of the 396th District Court begin on the first
1-10     Mondays in March and September.
1-11           (c)  Indictments within Tom Green County issued by any
1-12     district court in the county may be returned to the 396th District
1-13     Court.
1-14           (d)  Section 24.153, relating to the 51st District Court,
1-15     contains provisions applicable to both that court and the 396th
1-16     District Court.
1-17           SECTION 2.  Section 24.153(c), Government Code, is amended to
1-18     read as follows:
1-19           (c)  The judges of the 51st, 119th, [and] 340th, and 396th
1-20     district courts may, in their discretion, exchange benches and sit
1-21     for each other  without formal order in each county in those
1-22     districts, including counties in which the districts do not
1-23     overlap.  Any of the judges may, in his own courtroom, try and
1-24     determine any case or proceeding pending in any of the other courts
 2-1     without having the case transferred, or may sit in any of the other
 2-2     courts and hear and determine any case pending in one of those
 2-3     courts.  The judges may try different cases filed in the same court
 2-4     at the same time, and each may occupy his own courtroom or the room
 2-5     of any other court.  In case of absence, sickness, or
 2-6     disqualification of any of the judges, any of the other judges may
 2-7     hold court for him.  Any of the judges may hear and determine any
 2-8     part or question of a case or proceeding pending in any of the
 2-9     courts, and any of the other judges may complete the hearing and
2-10     render judgment in the case.  Any of the judges may hear and
2-11     determine motions, petitions for injunction, applications for
2-12     appointment of receivers, interventions, motions to transfer venue,
2-13     pleas in abatement, all dilatory pleas, motions for new trials, and
2-14     all preliminary matters, questions, and proceedings, and may enter
2-15     judgment or order thereon in the court in which the case is pending
2-16     without having the case transferred to the court of the acting
2-17     judge.  The judge in whose court the case is pending may proceed to
2-18     hear, complete, and determine any part or all of the case or other
2-19     matter and render final judgment.  Any of the judges may issue
2-20     restraining orders and injunctions returnable to any of the other
2-21     judges or courts.
2-22           SECTION 3.  The 396th Judicial District is created and this
2-23     Act takes effect October 1, 1999.
2-24           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-25     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-26     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-27     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.