S.B. 354 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 354 By: Harris Judicial Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, only three of nine criminal district courts in Tarrant County have concurrent jurisdiction over misdemeanor cases. S.B. 354 allows certain district courts to have concurrent original jurisdiction with the county criminal courts in Tarrant County over misdemeanor cases. 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 S.B. 354 amends the Government Code to provide that the 213th, 297th, 371st, 372nd, and 396th District Courts have concurrent original jurisdiction with the county criminal courts in Tarrant County over misdemeanor cases, in addition to other jurisdiction provided by law. The bill also provides that in addition to the jurisdiction provided by other law, the Tarrant County Criminal District Court No. 4 has concurrent original jurisdiction with the county criminal courts in Tarrant County over misdemeanor cases. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.