SRC-TBR H.B. 535 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 535
77R754 AEI-DBy: Thompson (Wentworth)
Jurisprudence
5/4/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a former or retired statutory county court judge is
authorized by the presiding judge to be appointed as a visiting judge to
hear matters in a statutory county court under certain circumstances.  H.B.
535 requires a court clerk of a statutory county court to enter in an
administrative file, rather than the minutes of the court, a record
containing information concerning the appointment of certain visiting
judges. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.0018, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 25.0018.  RECORD.  (a)  Requires the clerk, when a retired or former
judge is appointed as a visiting judge, to enter in the administrative
file, rather than minutes, as a part of the proceedings in the cause a
record that gives the visiting judge's name and shows that the judge of the
court was disqualified, absent, or disabled to try the cause, the visiting
judge was appointed and the oath of office prescribed by law for a retired
or former judge who is appointed as a visiting judge was duly administered
to the visiting judge and filed with the regional presiding judge. 

(b)  Defines "administrative file."

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 25.00221(e), Government Code, as added by
Chapter 960, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 25.00221, Government Code, as added by Chapter
960, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.

SECTION 5.  Makes application of this Act prospective.