AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the authority of a judge to conduct certain judicial
 1-2     proceedings in a county other than the one in which the suit is
 1-3     filed.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 74.094, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows:
 1-7           (e)  A judge who has jurisdiction over a suit pending in one
 1-8     county may, unless objected to by any party, conduct any of the
 1-9     judicial proceedings except the trial on the merits in a different
1-10     county.
1-11           (f)  A pretrial judge assigned to hear pretrial matters in
1-12     related cases under Rule 11, Texas Rules of Judicial
1-13     Administration, may hold pretrial proceedings and hearings on
1-14     pretrial matters for a case to which the judge has been assigned
1-15     in:
1-16                 (1)  the county in which the case is pending; or
1-17                 (2)  a county in which there is pending a related case
1-18     to which the pretrial judge has been assigned.
1-19           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-20           (b)  Subsection (e), Section 74.094, Government Code, as
1-21     added by this Act, applies only to a suit filed on or after the
1-22     effective date of this Act.  A suit filed before the effective date
1-23     of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the suit was
1-24     filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
 2-1           (c)  Subsection (f), Section 74.094, Government Code, as
 2-2     added by this Act, applies to a suit pending or filed on or after
 2-3     the effective date of this Act.
 2-4           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1436 passed the Senate on
         April 22, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that
         the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 28, 1999, by a
         viva-voce vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1436 passed the House, with
         amendment, on May 26, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor