Amend CSHB 7 by inserting the following new article, 
appropriately numbered, and renumbering the subsequent articles 
accordingly:

ARTICLE ____.  CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS IN

CERTAIN COUNTIES
	SECTION ____.  Subchapter A, Chapter 25, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 25.0020 to read as follows:
	Sec. 25.0020.  CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS IN CERTAIN 
COUNTIES.  (a)  This section applies only to a county with a 
population of three million or more.
	(b)  Notwithstanding Section 25.1032 or any other law, a 
county civil court at law has jurisdiction over eminent domain 
proceedings, both statutory and inverse, in which the amount in 
controversy does not exceed $200,000.
	(c)  Notwithstanding Section 25.1032 or any other law, a 
district court has jurisdiction over eminent domain proceedings, 
both statutory and inverse, in which the amount in controversy 
exceeds $200,000.
	(d)  Notwithstanding Section 21.013, Property Code, a party 
initiating a condemnation proceeding shall file a petition with a 
court that has jurisdiction to hear the proceeding under 
Subsections (b) and (c).
	(e)  A condemnation proceeding shall be assigned randomly to 
a court with jurisdiction to hear the proceeding.
	(f)  For purposes of this section, "the amount in 
controversy" is:    
		(1)  the amount of the last offer made by the condemning 
authority to the owner of the property before filing a petition 
under Section 21.012, Property Code; or
		(2)  the amount of damages claimed by a party filing an 
inverse condemnation case.