By:  Zaffirini                                        S.B. No. 1001
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the authority of a judge of a district court to hear
 1-3     certain matters at a correctional facility.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 24.012, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
 1-7           (e)  A district judge may hear a nonjury matter relating to a
 1-8     civil or criminal case at a correctional facility in the county in
 1-9     which the case is filed or prosecuted if a party to the case or the
1-10     criminal defendant is confined in the correctional facility.  For
1-11     purposes of this subsection, "correctional facility" has the
1-12     meaning assigned by Section 1.07, Penal Code.
1-13           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
1-14     applies to a civil or criminal case, regardless of whether the case
1-15     was filed or commenced before, on, or after that date.