Amend CSHB 3723 (house committee report) as follows:                         

(1)  On page 2, strike lines 3 through 26 and substitute the 	following:      

court designated under Subsection (h) as the domestic violence 
district court shall give preference to domestic violence cases, 
including cases involving:
		(1)  dating violence, as defined by Section 71.0021, 
Family Code; and
		(2)  family violence, as defined by Section 71.004, 
Family Code.     
	(j)  For the purposes of determining the preference the 
designated domestic violence district court is required to give 
cases under Subsection (i):
		(1)  a domestic violence case means:                                   
			(A)  an original application for a protective 
order under Title 4, Family Code;
			(B)  an original application for a protective 
order under Title 4, Family Code, that involves both parties and is 
filed concurrently with an original petition under the Family Code; 
and
			(C)  any matter involving custody of a minor child 
if one parent is alleged to have caused the death of another parent 
and there is a history of domestic violence in the parents' 
relationship; and
		(2)  subject to judicial discretion and resources, the 
designated domestic violence district court may also hear divorce 
and custody cases in which:
			(A)  a court has made an affirmative finding of 
family violence involving both parties; or
			(B)  a protective order has been issued under 
Title 4, Family Code, involving both parties.
	(k)  The designated domestic violence district court shall:             
	(2)  On page 3, strike lines 10 through 18, and substitute 
the following:    
	(l)  The Harris County district clerk shall create a form and 
establish procedures to transfer a domestic violence case that 
qualifies for preference under this section to the domestic 
violence district court.
	SECTION 2.  Not later than October 1, 2009, the judges of the 
district courts listed in Section 24.112(g), Government Code, as 
added by this Act, shall by agreement designate a listed court as 
the domestic violence district court for Harris County.  If the 
judges fail to designate a domestic violence district court on or 
before October 1, 2009, the local administrative judge for the 
Harris County district courts shall designate a domestic violence 
district court not later than October 5, 2009.