79R3448 YDB-D


By:  Puente                                                       H.B. No. 1905



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the jurisdiction of county courts at law in Bexar 
County.       
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 25.0172, Government Code, is amended by 
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as 
follows:
	(a)  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 
25.0003 and other law, a county court at law in Bexar County has 
concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in civil cases in 
which the matter in controversy exceeds $500 but does not exceed 
$250,000, excluding interest, statutory or punitive damages and 
penalties, and attorney's fees and costs, as alleged on the face of 
the petition.
	(a-1)  The County Court at Law No. 1 shall give preference to 
criminal cases.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to civil actions filed on or after the effective date of this Act.  A 
civil action filed before the effective date of this Act is covered 
by the law in effect when the action was filed, and the former law is 
continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.