SRC-BWC S.B. 1001 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1001
77R6466 JMC-DBy: Zaffirini
Jurisprudence
4/4/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Often, district court dockets are very full, causing cases not to be heard
until late in the day or 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
which does not involve a jury and in which a plea is taken may easily and
effectively be held inside a correctional facility, ensuring a controlled
environment for the inmate and correctional officer.  As proposed, S.B.
1001 amends the Government Code to allow a district judge to hear a
non-jury matter relating to a civil or criminal case at a correctional
facility if a party to the case or criminal defendant is confined in the
correctional facility.  

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 24.012, Government Code, by adding Subsection
(e) to authorize a district judge to hear a 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.  Defines "correctional facility." 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.
                       Makes application of this Act prospective.