H.B. 3568 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 3568 By: Solis Judicial Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law limits the jurisdiction of a county court at law in Cameron County to cases in which the amount in controversy does not exceed $1 million. Expanding this amount would allow cases that would normally be filed in the district court to be filed in the county court at law, thus reducing the caseload of the district court. H.B. 3568 increases the jurisdiction of a county court at law in Cameron County to an amount not to exceed $10 million. 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. 3568 amends the Government Code to provide that a county court at law in Cameron County has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in civil cases in which the amount in controversy exceeds $500 but does not exceed $10 million, excluding interest. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.