SRC-SEW S.B. 847 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 847
77R3919 QS-FBy: Nelson
Intergovernmental Relations
3/18/2001
As Filed


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.  As proposed, 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.