BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 407
By: Shapiro
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, Dallas County is the only county that uses the truancy magistrate court that was made available by law in 2003. Unfortunately, the original authorization for the use of truancy magistrates only authorized the use of full-time magistrates. This can create problems when a full-time magistrate is absent.
S.B. 407 grants county judges in certain counties the authority to appoint part-time or full-time magistrates as needed to hear truancy cases.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 54.1172(a), Government Code, to authorize the county judge to appoint one or more part-time or full-time magistrates to hear a matter alleging a violation of Section 25.093 (Parent Contributing to Nonattendance) or 25.094 (Failure to Attend School), Education Code.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.