SRC-JEC S.B. 683 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 683
77R4966 YDB-FBy: Shapleigh
Jurisprudence
3/29/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, El Paso County courts are experiencing a backlog of criminal
misdemeanor cases.  As proposed, S.B. 683 creates two additional county
criminal courts designated solely to handle criminal misdemeanor cases to
help reduce the backlog.  One of the new courts is granted exclusive
jurisdiction over environmental offenses. 

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 25.0731(a), Government Code, to add County
Criminal Courts at Law No. 1 and No. 2 of El Paso County, Texas, to the
list of statutory county courts in El Paso County. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 25.0732, Government Code, to authorize a judge
of a statutory county court in El Paso County and a judge of a district
court or another statutory county court in El Paso County, in matters of
concurrent jurisdiction, to transfer cases between the courts in the same
manner judges of district courts transfer cases under Section 24.303.
Authorizes a judge of a statutory county court and a judge of a district
court in El Paso County to exchange benches and to sit and act for each
other in any matter pending before the court.  Requires the El Paso Council
of Judges to order the transfer of criminal misdemeanor cases to the County
Criminal Courts No. 1 and No. 2 from time to time to equalize the criminal
misdemeanor dockets of the statutory county courts for the efficient
operation of the court system and the effective administration of justice.
Requires the County Criminal Courts No. 1 and No. 2 to give preference to
criminal law matters.  Provides the County Criminal Court No. 1 with
exclusive jurisdiction over environmental offenses. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  January 1, 2002.