Amend HB 3696 by striking all below the enacting clause and
substituting the following:
      SECTION 1.  Section 25.1101, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
      Sec. 25.1101.  HIDALGO COUNTY. (a)  Hidalgo County has the
following statutory county courts:
            (1)  County Court at Law No. 1 of Hidalgo County;
            (2)  County Court at Law No. 2 of Hidalgo County;
            (3)  <County Court at Law No. 3 of Hidalgo County; and>
            <(4)>  County Court at Law No. 4 of Hidalgo County; and
            (4)  County Court at Law No. 5 of Hidalgo County.
      (b)  Hidalgo County has one statutory probate court, the
Probate Court of Hidalgo County.
      (c)  The county courts at law of Hidalgo County sit in the
county seat.
      SECTION 2.  Section 25.1102(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
      (a)  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section
25.0003 and other law, a county court at law in Hidalgo County has
concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in:
            (1)  family law cases and proceedings; and
            (2)  civil cases in which the matter in controversy
does not exceed $750,000 <$500,000>, excluding interest, statutory
or punitive damages and penalties, and attorney's fees and costs,
as alleged on the page of the petition.
      SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 25.1103 to read as follows:
      Sec. 25.1103.  HIDALGO COUNTY PROBATE COURT PROVISIONS. The
judge of a statutory probate court must be:
            (1)  a qualified voter;
            (2)  a resident of the county; and
            (3)  a licensed attorney in this state who has actively
practiced law for at least five years before the date of election
or appointment.
      SECTION 4.  (a)  The County Court at Law No. 3 of Hidalgo
County is redesignated as the Probate Court of Hidalgo County.
      (b)  The judge of the County Court at Law No. 3 of Hidalgo
County is the judge of the Probate Court of Hidalgo County.  Unless
otherwise removed, the judge serves until December 31, 2002, and
until the judge's successor is elected and has qualified.  In the
2002 general election and every four years thereafter, the
qualified voters of the county shall elect a judge of the Probate
Court of Hidalgo County for a regular term of four years.
      SECTION 5.  (a)  The judge of the County Court at Law No. 3
of Hidalgo County shall transfer all cases over which the court
loses jurisdiction under this Act and that are pending in the court
on September 1, 2001, to a district  court, county court at law, or
county court in the county with jurisdiction over the case.
      (b)  The local administrative statutory county court judge
shall transfer any probate matter that is pending in a statutory
county court in Hidalgo County on September 1, 2001, to the Probate
Court of Hidalgo County.
      (c)  When a case is transferred as provided by Subsection (a)
or (b) of this section, all processes, writs, bonds, recognizances,
or other obligations issued from the transferring court are
returnable to the court to which the case is transferred as if
originally issued by that court.  The obligees on all bonds and
recognizances taken in and for a court from which a case is
transferred, and all witnesses summoned to appear in a court from
which a case is transferred, are required to appear before the
court to which a case is transferred as if originally required to
appear before that court.
      SECTION 6.  (a)  Notwithstanding Section 25.1101(a),
Government Code, as amended by this Act, the County Court at Law
No. 5 of Hidalgo County is created January 1, 2003.
      (b)  Notwithstanding Section 25.0009, Government Code, the
initial vacancy in the office of judge of the County Court at Law
No. 5 of Hidalgo County shall be filled by election. The office
exists for purposes of the primary and general elections in 2002.
A vacancy after the initial vacancy is filled as provided by
Section 25.0009, Government Code.
      SECTION 7.  The change in law made to Section 25.1102(a),
Government Code, by this Act applies only to an action filed in a
statutory county court of Hidalgo County on or after the effective
date of this Act.  An action filed in a statutory county court of
Hidalgo County before the effective date of this Act is governed by
the law in effect on the date the action was filed, and the former
law is continued in effect for that purpose.
      SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.