By Harris                                              S.B. No. 548
         76R1780 MLS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of additional judicial districts composed
 1-3     of Tarrant 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 Sections 24.542 and 24.543 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 24.542.  397TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (TARRANT COUNTY).  (a)
 1-8     The 397th Judicial District is composed of Tarrant County.
 1-9           (b)  The 397th District Court shall give preference to
1-10     criminal cases.
1-11           Sec. 24.543.  398TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (TARRANT COUNTY).  (a)
1-12     The 398th Judicial District is composed of Tarrant County.
1-13           (b)  The 398th District Court shall give preference to
1-14     criminal cases.
1-15           SECTION 2.  The 397th and 398th judicial districts are
1-16     created and this Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-17           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.