1-1     By:  Wolens, Chavez (Senate Sponsor - Shapleigh)        H.B. No. 62
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House March 19, 2001;
 1-3     March 20, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Jurisprudence; April 24, 2001, reported favorably by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 24, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the authority of certain courts to try  civil cases at
 1-9     institutions of higher education and other schools.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1. Section 24.012, Government Code, is amended by
1-12     adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
1-13           (e)  Not earlier than the 31st day after notifying each party
1-14     to the case, a district judge, with the express consent of each
1-15     party to the case, may try a civil case at an institution of higher
1-16     education, private or independent institution of higher education,
1-17     or public or private high school in the county in which the case is
1-18     filed.  For purposes of this subsection, "institution of higher
1-19     education" and "private or independent institution of higher
1-20     education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003, Education
1-21     Code.  A county in which a case is tried at an alternative location
1-22     as provided by this subsection is not required to pay additional
1-23     costs incurred because the case is tried at the alternative
1-24     location.
1-25           SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 25, Government Code, is
1-26     amended by adding Section 25.0019 to read as follows:
1-27           Sec. 25.0019.  LOCATION OF PROCEEDINGS IN CIVIL CASES. Not
1-28     earlier than the 31st day after notifying each party to the case,
1-29     the judge of a statutory county court, with the express consent of
1-30     each party to the case, may try a civil case at an institution of
1-31     higher education, private or independent institution of higher
1-32     education, or public or private high school in the county in which
1-33     the case is filed.  For purposes of this section, "institution of
1-34     higher education" and "private or independent institution of higher
1-35     education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003, Education
1-36     Code.  A county in which a case is tried at an alternative location
1-37     as provided by this section is not required to pay additional costs
1-38     incurred because the case is tried at the alternative location.
1-39           SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 25, Government Code, is
1-40     amended by adding Section 25.0033 to read as follows:
1-41           Sec. 25.0033.  LOCATION OF PROCEEDINGS. Not earlier than the
1-42     31st day after notifying each party to the case, the judge of a
1-43     statutory probate court, with the express consent of each party to
1-44     the case, may try a case at an institution of higher education,
1-45     private or independent institution of higher education, or public
1-46     or private high school in the county in which the case is filed.
1-47     For purposes of this section, "institution of higher education" and
1-48     "private or independent institution of higher education" have the
1-49     meanings assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.  A county in
1-50     which a case is tried at an alternative location as provided by
1-51     this section is not required to pay additional costs incurred
1-52     because the case is tried at the alternative location.
1-53           SECTION 4. Section 26.002, Government Code, is amended by
1-54     amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
1-55     follows:
1-56           (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), all [All] terms of
1-57     court must be held at the county seat.
1-58           (d)  Not earlier than the 31st day after notifying each party
1-59     to the case, a county judge, with the express consent of each party
1-60     to the case, may try a civil case at an institution of higher
1-61     education, private or independent institution of higher education,
1-62     or public or private high school in the county. For purposes of
1-63     this subsection, "institution of higher education" and "private or
1-64     independent institution of higher education" have the meanings
 2-1     assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.  A county in which a
 2-2     case is tried at an alternative location as provided by this
 2-3     subsection is not required to pay additional costs incurred because
 2-4     the case is tried at the alternative location.
 2-5           SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
 2-6     applies only to a case filed in a district, county, statutory
 2-7     county, or statutory probate court on or after that date.
 2-8                                  * * * * *