2003S0573-2 03/13/03


By:  Lindsay                                                      S.B. No. 1770


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the 334th Civil District Court of Harris County.                  
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  (a)  Section 24.480, Government Code, is 
repealed.               
	(b)  The 334th District Court of Harris County is abolished 
on the effective date of this Act, and the judge of that court shall 
transfer each case that is pending in the court on that date to a 
district court in the county with jurisdiction over the case.
	(c)  When a case is transferred as provided by Subsection (b) 
of this section, all processes, writs, bonds, recognizances, or 
other obligations issued from the transferring court are returnable 
to the court to which the case is transferred as if originally 
issued by that court.  The obligees on all bonds and recognizances 
taken in and for a court from which a case is transferred, and all 
witnesses summoned to appear in a court from which a case is 
transferred, are required to appear before the court to which a case 
is transferred as if originally required to appear before that 
court.
	SECTION 2.  Chapter 24, Government Code, is amended by 
adding Section 24.480 to read as follows:
	Sec. 24.480.  334TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY).  
(a)  The 334th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.
	(b)  The 334th District Court shall give preference to civil 
matters. 
	SECTION 3.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), this 
Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of 
all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, 
Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the 
vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect 
September 1, 2003.
	(b)  Section 24.480, Government Code, as added by Section 2 
of this Act, takes effect and the 334th Judicial District is created 
September 1, 2005.