By Luna H.B. No. 3780
76R4837 MLS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of a county court at law in Nueces County.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 25.1801(a), Government Code, is amended
1-5 to read as follows:
1-6 (a) Nueces County has the following statutory county courts:
1-7 (1) County Court at Law No. 1 of Nueces County;
1-8 (2) County Court at Law No. 2 of Nueces County;
1-9 (3) County Court at Law No. 3 of Nueces County; [and]
1-10 (4) County Court at Law No. 4 of Nueces County; and
1-11 (5) County Court at Law No. 5 of Nueces County.
1-12 SECTION 2. Sections 25.1802(e), (g), and (i), Government
1-13 Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-14 (e) The judge of County Court at Law No. 1, 2, or 3 of
1-15 Nueces County may be paid, and the judge of County Court at Law No.
1-16 4 or 5 of Nueces County shall be paid, an annual salary equal to
1-17 the amount that is $1,000 less than the salary paid by the state to
1-18 a district judge in the county. The salaries shall be paid in the
1-19 same manner and from the same fund as prescribed by law for the
1-20 county judge.
1-21 (g) If the regular judge of County Court at Law No. 4 or 5
1-22 of Nueces County is absent or disqualified from presiding, a
1-23 special judge may be appointed by the commissioners court. The
1-24 person appointed must be recommended by the regular judge or, if
2-1 the judge is unable to recommend a person, by the board of
2-2 directors of the Nueces County Bar Association. A special judge is
2-3 entitled to the same rate of compensation as the regular judge. A
2-4 special judge has all the powers, duties, and immunities of the
2-5 regular judge.
2-6 (i) The commissioners court may employ as many deputy
2-7 sheriffs and bailiffs as are necessary to serve the County Courts
2-8 at Law Nos. 3, [and] 4, and 5 of Nueces County.
2-9 SECTION 3. County Court at Law No. 5 of Nueces County,
2-10 Texas, is created and this Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-11 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.