H.B. 988 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 988
By: Brown, Fred
Judicial Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Brazos County is the only county in Texas which lies within three
different court of appeals districts. Cases originating in Brazos County
may be sent to either the 1st or 14th Court of Appeals in Houston or to
the 10th Court of Appeals in Waco.   

Currently, the dockets in Houston are far more crowded than that of Waco.
Brazos County cases assigned to Houston courts of appeals are often
transferred to other courts, some as far away as El Paso.  H.B. 988 would
remove Brazos County from the 1st and 14th Court of Appeals districts, and
assign all cases originating in Brazos County to the 10th Court of
Appeals.  

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. 988 amends the Government Code to remove Brazos County from the list
of counties comprising the First and the Fourteenth Court of Appeals
Districts.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.