By: Harris  S.B. No. 431
         (In the Senate - Filed February 2, 2007; February 21, 2007,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;
  May 14, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 14, 2007,
  sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 431 By:  Harris
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the authority of an associate judge in certain family
  law proceedings.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 201.007, Family Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Except as limited by an order of referral, an associate
  judge may:
               (1)  conduct a hearing;
               (2)  hear evidence;
               (3)  compel production of relevant evidence;
               (4)  rule on the admissibility of evidence;
               (5)  issue a summons for the appearance of witnesses;
               (6)  examine a witness;
               (7)  swear a witness for a hearing;
               (8)  make findings of fact on evidence;
               (9)  formulate conclusions of law;
               (10)  recommend an order to be rendered in a case;
               (11)  regulate all proceedings in a hearing before the
  associate judge;
               (12)  order the attachment of a witness or party who
  fails to obey a subpoena;
               (13)  order the detention of a witness or party found
  guilty of contempt, pending approval by the referring court as
  provided by Section 201.013;
               (14)  without prejudice to the right of appeal under
  Section 201.015, render and sign:
                     (A)  a final order agreed to in writing as to both
  form and substance by all parties;
                     (B)  a final default order; or
                     (C)  a temporary order; and
               (15)  take action as necessary and proper for the
  efficient performance of the associate judge's duties.
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Section 201.009, Family Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 201.009.  COURT REPORTER; RECORD.
         SECTION 3.  Subsections (a) and (c), Section 201.009, Family
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A court reporter may be provided during a hearing held
  by an associate judge appointed under this chapter. A court
  reporter is required to be provided when the associate judge
  presides over a jury trial or a contested final termination
  hearing.
         (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (a), in the absence of
  a court reporter or on agreement of the parties, the [The] record
  may be preserved [in the absence of a court reporter] by any [other]
  means approved by the associate judge.
         SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act apply to a
  suit affecting the parent-child relationship referred to an
  associate judge that is pending before a trial court on or filed on
  or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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