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 * * * * *