SRC-SEW S.B. 847 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 847 By: Nelson Intergovernmental Relations 6/14/2001 Enrolled DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, the City of Westlake does not have a municipal court of record. Texas law, absent of a local statute providing for a municipal court of record, requires appeals for a municipal court to be done by a trial de novo, or a new trial. A local statute providing for a municipal court of record, however, would require the appeal to be based on the recording errors made during the trial in lieu of a new trial. S.B. 847 authorizes Westlake to create municipal courts of record and designates Tarrant county courts at law as having the appellate jurisdiction. 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 Chapter 30, Local Government Code, by adding Subchapter UU, as follows: SUBCHAPTER UU. WESTLAKE Sec. 30.01781. APPLICATION; DEFINITION. Provides that this subchapter applies to the Town of Westlake located in Tarrant and Denton counties. Defines "appellate courts." SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.