BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1239
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of El Paso County has grown from 591,610 in the 1990 census, to 679,622 in the 2000 census, to 708,319 in the American Community Survey taken in 2005. As a result of this increase in population, El Paso County may be in need of another criminal district court.
As proposed, S.B. 1239 creates a new criminal judicial district in El Paso County. This bill requires the new criminal district court to give preference to felony drug cases and associated civil cases emanating from those felony drug cases. This bill requires the new criminal district court to give secondary preference to other criminal cases and associated civil cases emanating from those criminal cases.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 24, Government Code, by adding Section 24.908, as follows:
Sec. 24.908. CRIMINAL JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF EL PASO COUNTY. (a) Provides that the Criminal Judicial District of El Paso County is composed of El Paso County.
(b) Requires the criminal district court (court) to give primary preference to felony drug cases and associated civil cases emanating from those felony drug cases. Requires the court 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 "Criminal District Court of El Paso County" engraved on the seal.
SECTION 2. Creates the Criminal Judicial District of El Paso County on September 1, 2007.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.