BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1628
80R9648 YDB-F By: Chavez (Shapleigh)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The United States Census Bureau has cited the population of El Paso County as having increased from 679,622 in 2000 to 708,319 in 2005. The population increase necessitates that El Paso have a new criminal judicial district.
H.B. 1628 creates a new criminal judicial district in El Paso County. The bill also requires the court to give priority to certain cases.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to any state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 24, Government Code, by adding Section 24.908, as follows:
Sec. 24.908. EL PASO COUNTY CRIMINAL JUDICIAL DISTRICT NO. 1. (a) Provides that the El Paso County Criminal Judicial District No. 1 is composed of El Paso County.
(b) Requires the El Paso County Criminal District Court No. 1 (court) to give primary preference to felony drug cases and associated civil cases emanating from those felony drug cases. Requires the criminal district to give secondary preference to other criminal cases and associated civil cases emanating from those criminal cases.
(c) Provides that the terms of the court begin on the third Mondays in April and September and the first Mondays in January, July, and November.
(d) Requires the court to have a seal similar to the seal of a district court with "El Paso County Criminal District Court No. 1" engraved on the seal.
SECTION 2. Creates the Criminal Judicial District No. 1 of El Paso County on September 1, 2007.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.