H.B. 2341 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2341 By: Kolkhorst Judicial Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 21st and 335th Judicial Districts are composed of Bastrop, Burleson, Lee and Washington counties. Under current law, the voters of Washington and Burleson counties elect a district attorney for the 21st Judicial District who represents the state in that district court only in those two counties. At present, this district attorney does not have jurisdiction in the 335th District Court, even though that court's jurisdiction is overlapping with that of the 21st District Court. At present, the judges of the 21st and the 335th District Courts have an agreement whereby they will hear civil cases filed in either court. However, all criminal cases are now filed only in the 21st District Court. H.B. 2341 allows the district attorney for the 21st District Court to prosecute criminal cases in Washington and Burleson counties. 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. 2341 amends the Government Code to provide that the district attorney for the 21st Judicial District also represents the state and performs the duties of the district attorney before the 335th District Court in Washington and Burleson counties. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect on September 1, 2003.