By Craddick                                            H.B. No. 485
         77R1437 AEI-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the composition of the 83rd Judicial District and to
 1-3     the election of the district attorney for that district.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 24.185, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     amending the section heading and Subsections (a), (b), and (d) to
 1-7     read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 24.185.  83RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT (PECOS, [REAGAN,]
 1-9     TERRELL, UPTON, AND VAL VERDE COUNTIES). (a)  The 83rd Judicial
1-10     District is composed of Pecos, [Reagan,] Terrell, Upton, and Val
1-11     Verde counties.
1-12           (b)  The 83rd and 112th district courts have concurrent
1-13     jurisdiction in Pecos[, Reagan,] and Upton counties.
1-14           (d)  The terms of the 83rd District Court begin:
1-15                 (1)  on the second Monday in January and July; and
1-16                 (2)  [in Reagan County on the 14th Monday after the
1-17     first Mondays in January and July; and]
1-18                 [(3)]  in Upton County on the 12th Monday after the
1-19     first Mondays in January and July.
1-20           SECTION 2. Section 43.141(a), Government Code, is amended to
1-21     read as follows:
1-22           (a)  The voters of Brewster, Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio,
1-23     [Reagan,] and Upton counties elect a district attorney for the 83rd
1-24     Judicial District.
 2-1           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
 2-2           SECTION 4. (a)  The local administrative district judge shall
 2-3     transfer all cases from Reagan County that are pending in the 83rd
 2-4     District Court on the effective date of this Act to the 112th
 2-5     District Court.
 2-6           (b)  When a case is transferred as provided by Subsection (a)
 2-7     of this section, all processes, writs, bonds, recognizances, or
 2-8     other obligations issued from the 83rd District Court are
 2-9     returnable to the 112th District Court as if originally issued by
2-10     that court.  The obligees on all bonds and recognizances taken in
2-11     and for the 83rd District Court and all witnesses summoned to
2-12     appear in the 83rd District Court are required to appear before the
2-13     112th District Court as if originally required to appear before
2-14     that court.
2-15           SECTION 5. Section 43.141(a), Government Code, as amended by
2-16     this Act, does not affect the election of a district attorney for
2-17     the 83rd Judicial District held before the effective date of this
2-18     Act.  The district attorney of the 83rd Judicial District elected
2-19     before and serving on the effective date of this Act shall serve
2-20     the remainder of the elected term, unless otherwise removed by law.