HBA-BSM S.B. 1001 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1001
By: Zaffirini
Judicial Affairs
5/3/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Often, district court dockets are very full, causing some cases to be
postponed.  District judges appointed to these cases must first locate
available courtroom space in a county and cases may take many months to be
heard and resolved.  A civil or criminal case in which a party to the case
is confined in a correctional facility requires the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice to transport the  inmate to the courtroom in the county in
which the complaint was filed.  A hearing that does not involve a jury and
in which a plea is taken may easily and effectively be held inside a
correctional facility.  Senate Bill 1001 authorizes a district judge to
hear a nonjury matter relating to a civil or criminal case at a
correctional facility in the county in which the case is filed or
prosecuted if a party to the case or the criminal defendant is confined in
the correctional facility.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 1001 amends the Government Code to authorize a district judge
to hear a nonjury matter relating to a civil or criminal case at a
correctional facility in the county in which the case is filed or
prosecuted if a party to the case or the criminal defendant is confined in
the correctional facility.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.  The bill applies to a civil or criminal case regardless
of whether the case was filed or commenced before, on, or after that date.