By Harris                                              S.B. No. 841
         76R4239 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the jurisdiction of municipal courts in certain
 1-3     criminal cases, punishable only by a fine, that arise under the
 1-4     rules, orders, and resolutions of a joint airport board.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 29.003, Government Code, is amended by
 1-7     amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
 1-8     follows:
 1-9           (a)  A municipal court, including a municipal court of
1-10     record, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction within the
1-11     territorial limits of the municipality in all criminal cases that:
1-12                 (1)  arise under:
1-13                       (A)  the ordinances of the municipality; or
1-14                       (B)  a resolution, rule, or order of a joint
1-15     board operating an airport under Section 22.074, Transportation
1-16     Code; and
1-17                 (2)  are punishable by a fine not to exceed:
1-18                       (A)  $2,000 in all cases arising under municipal
1-19     ordinances or resolutions, rules, or orders of a joint board that
1-20     govern  fire safety, zoning, or public health and sanitation,
1-21     including dumping of refuse; or
1-22                       (B)  $500 in all other cases arising under a
1-23     municipal ordinance or a resolution, rule, or order of a joint
1-24     board.
 2-1           (f)  This section does not affect the powers given
 2-2     exclusively to a joint board operating an airport under Section
 2-3     22.074(d), Transportation  Code.
 2-4           SECTION 2.  Section 22.074, Transportation Code, is amended
 2-5     by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
 2-6           (e)  The powers exclusively given to a joint board under
 2-7     Subsection (d) do not affect the jurisdiction of a municipal court
 2-8     under Section  29.003, Government Code.  The jurisdiction of a
 2-9     municipal court under that section does not authorize the officers
2-10     or employees of a municipality that is not a constituent agency of
2-11     the joint board to enter airport property to regulate, protect, or
2-12     police the airport.
2-13           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-14           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-15     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-16     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-17     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-18     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.