By:  Herrero (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa)                          H.B. No. 3441
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 16, 2005; 
May 17, 2005, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Jurisprudence; May 21, 2005, reported favorably by the following 
vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 21, 2005, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to the exchange of benches between justices of the peace.          
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 27.054, Government Code, is amended to 
read as follows:  
	Sec. 27.054.  EXCHANGE OF BENCHES.  (a)  A justice of the 
peace may hold court for any other justice in any [the] county at 
the request of that justice.
	(b)  The justices of any [a] county may exchange benches for 
a period not to exceed five days if they consider it expedient.
	(c)  A justice who exchanges benches with another justice is 
not entitled to receive compensation from the commissioners court 
of the county in which the regular justice serves.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.                           



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