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.