79R1962 MFC-D


By:  Miller                                                       H.B. No. 496



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to jurisdiction of the statutory county courts of Erath 
County.    
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 25.0742(a), Government Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	(a)  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 
25.0003 and other law, a county court at law in Erath County has 
concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in:
		(1)  civil cases in which the matter in controversy 
exceeds $500 but does not exceed $1 million, excluding interest, 
statutory or punitive damages and penalties, and attorney's fees 
and costs, as alleged on the face of the petition;  and
		(2)  family law cases and proceedings [under Chapter 
262, Family Code, in which the Department of Protective and 
Regulatory Services has assumed the care, custody, and control of a 
child].
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made to Section 25.0742(a), 
Government Code, by this Act applies only to an action filed in a 
statutory county court of Erath County on or after the effective 
date of this Act.  An action filed in a statutory county court of 
Erath County before the effective date of this Act is governed by 
the law in effect on the date the action was filed, and the former 
law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.                           


COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
	Amend H.B. 496, on line 11, by striking $1 million and 
replacing it with $500,000.

                                                                      Hartnett