76R12717 DB-D                           
         By Puente                                             H.B. No. 3499
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3499:
         By Uresti                                         C.S.H.B. No. 3499
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to associate judges appointed by the district courts of
 1-3     Bexar County.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 54, Government Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subchapter P to read as follows:
 1-7               SUBCHAPTER P.  ASSOCIATE JUDGES IN BEXAR COUNTY
 1-8           Sec. 54.951.  APPLICATION.  To the extent that this
 1-9     subchapter conflicts with Subchapter A, Chapter 201, Family Code,
1-10     this subchapter controls.
1-11           Sec. 54.952.  CASES THAT MAY BE REFERRED.  (a) In addition to
1-12     the cases that may be referred under Section 201.005, Family Code,
1-13     a judge of a district court in Bexar County may refer to an
1-14     associate judge in Bexar County any case or portion of a case
1-15     brought under the civil jurisdiction of the appointing court.
1-16           (b)  An associate judge may preside over a trial on the
1-17     merits of a case brought under the civil jurisdiction of the
1-18     appointing court, whether or not the trial is before a jury.
1-19           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-20           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.