1-1     By:  Thompson (Senate Sponsor - Brown)                H.B. No. 3662
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2001;
 1-3     April 30, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Jurisprudence; May 10, 2001, reported favorably by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 10, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the administration of the justice courts of Harris
 1-9     County.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1. Sections 75.404(d), (e), and (h), Government Code,
1-12     are amended to read as follows:
1-13           (d)  The presiding judge shall:
1-14                 (1)  preside at any session of the judges;
1-15                 (2)  keep a record of the decisions of the judges;
1-16                 (3)  appoint special or standing committees necessary
1-17     for court management and administration;
1-18                 (4)  implement local rules, including assignment,
1-19     docketing, transfer, and hearings of cases; and
1-20                 (5)  provide statistical and management information
1-21     requested by the supreme court or the Office of Court
1-22     Administration of the Texas Judicial System.
1-23           (e)  If a justice of the peace in Harris County is absent or
1-24     for any reason unable to preside, the presiding judge may appoint,
1-25     in addition to a qualified person  authorized by law, a former
1-26     justice of the peace or a former county court, statutory county
1-27     court, or district court judge who served as a judge in this state
1-28     and who consents to the appointment as a special judge to preside
1-29     for the justice of the peace.  The presiding judge may designate
1-30     the duration of the appointment, not to exceed 60 days, and may
1-31     revoke an appointment at any time.  The duties and powers of a
1-32     special judge are the same as for the regular justice of the peace.
1-33           (h)  A local rule may be adopted [only] by two-thirds [the
1-34     unanimous] vote of the [all 16] justices of the peace.
1-35           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-36                                  * * * * *