H.B. 738 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 738 By: Laubenberg Judicial Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Rockwall County has experienced rapid population growth over the past few years, resulting in a growing backlog in the docket of the district court. Establishment of a county court at law for Rockwall County would ease the current burden on the district court and facilitate the administration of justice. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 738 amends the Government Code to create a statutory county court at law in Rockwall County. The bill also sets forth provisions relating to the jurisdiction of this court, jurors in this court, and the respective duties of the district clerk and the county clerk. The bill also sets forth provisions regarding the appointment of an administrative judge, the administration of cases when the county court at law and the district court have concurrent jurisdiction, and the appointment of an official court reporter. The bill sets forth provisions for the hiring and payment of court staff, as well as the qualifications of a court bailiff. The bill also requires that the judge of the county court at law must be a citizen of the United States, that he or she may not engage in the private practice of law, that he or she has the same judicial immunity as a district judge, and that in matters of concurrent jurisdiction, the judge of the county court at law and the district judge may exchange benches, transfer cases subject to acceptance, assign each other to hear cases, and otherwise manage their respective dockets under local administrative rules. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.