1-1 By: Gallego (Senate Sponsor - Harris) H.B. No. 3418
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1999;
1-3 May 6, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on
1-4 Administration; May 11, 1999, reported favorably by the following
1-5 vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 11, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the administration of teleconferencing technology
1-9 within the judiciary.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 73.003(e), Government Code, is amended to
1-12 read as follows:
1-13 (e) At the discretion of its chief justice, [and with the
1-14 consent of the parties or their attorneys,] a court to which a case
1-15 is transferred may hear oral argument through the use of
1-16 teleconferencing technology as provided by Section 22.302. The
1-17 court and the parties or their attorneys may participate in oral
1-18 argument from any location through the use of teleconferencing
1-19 technology. The actual and necessary expenses of the court in
1-20 hearing an oral argument through the use of teleconferencing
1-21 technology shall be paid by the state from funds appropriated for
1-22 the transfer of case, as specified in Subsection (d).
1-23 SECTION 2. Section 22.302(a), Government Code, is amended to
1-24 read as follows:
1-25 (a) At the discretion of its chief justice or presiding
1-26 judge, [and with the consent of the parties or their attorneys,]
1-27 the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, or a court of
1-28 appeals may order that oral argument be presented [hear oral
1-29 argument] through the use of teleconferencing technology. The
1-30 court and the parties or their attorneys may participate in oral
1-31 argument from any location through the use of teleconferencing
1-32 technology.
1-33 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-34 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-35 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-36 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-37 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-38 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-39 * * * * *