81R759 CAE-D

By: Dutton H.B. No. 302

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to preferences and designations of certain district courts in Harris County.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 24.422, 24.423, 24.424, and 24.434, Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

Sec. 24.422. 245TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). [(a)] The 245th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

[(b) The 245th District Court shall give preference to family law matters.]

Sec. 24.423. 246TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). [(a)] The 246th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

[(b) The 246th District Court shall give preference to family law matters.]

Sec. 24.424. 247TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). [(a)] The 247th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

[(b) The 247th District Court shall give preference to family law matters.]

Sec. 24.434. 257TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). [(a)] The 257th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

[(b) The 257th District Court shall give preference to family law matters.]

SECTION 2. Sections 24.616, 24.617, 24.618, 24.619, 24.620, 24.621, 24.622, and 24.623, Government Code, are transferred to Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code, and redesignated as Sections 24.60050, 24.60051, 24.60052, 24.60053, 24.60054, 24.60055, 24.60056, and 24.60057, respectively, to read as follows:

Sec. 24.60050 [24.616]. 308TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). The 308th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

Sec. 24.60051 [24.617]. 309TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). The 309th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

Sec. 24.60052 [24.618]. 310TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). The 310th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

Sec. 24.60053 [24.619]. 311TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). The 311th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

Sec. 24.60054 [24.620]. 312TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). The 312th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

Sec. 24.60055 [24.621]. 313TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). The 313th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

Sec. 24.60056 [24.622]. 314TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). The 314th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

Sec. 24.60057 [24.623]. 315TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). The 315th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.

SECTION 3. The heading to Subchapter D, Chapter 53, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER D. BAILIFFS FOR CERTAIN [FAMILY] DISTRICT COURTS IN

HARRIS COUNTY

SECTION 4. Section 53.051, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 53.051. OFFICE OF BAILIFF. The judges of the 245th, 246th, 247th, 257th, 308th, 309th, 310th, 311th, and 312th [family] district courts shall appoint a person to serve their respective courts as bailiff. A bailiff is an officer of the court and performs the duties of the office under the direction and supervision of the judge of the court.

SECTION 5. Section 152.1071(a), Human Resources Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The juvenile board of Harris County is composed of:

(1) the county judge;

(2) the juvenile court judges;

(3) one judge of a district court [that primarily hears family law matters], selected by district court [those] judges;

(4) one judge of a district court that primarily hears criminal law cases, selected by those judges;

(5) one judge of a district court that primarily hears civil cases, selected by those judges; and

(6) a justice of the peace in Harris County, selected by majority vote of all of the justices of the peace in the county.

SECTION 6. On the effective date of this Act:

(1) the 308th, 309th, 310th, 311th, 312th, 313th, 314th, and 315th Family District Courts are redesignated as district courts governed by Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code;

(2) the judges of the 308th, 309th, 310th, 311th, 312th, 313th, 314th, and 315th Family District Courts continue to serve as the judges of the courts as redesignated by Subdivision (1) of this section for the remainder of the term to which elected, unless otherwise removed as provided by law; and

(3) a matter pending on that date in the 308th, 309th, 310th, 311th, 312th, 313th, 314th, or 315th Family District Court remains in that court as redesignated by Subdivision (1) of this section unless otherwise transferred to a different court as provided by law.

SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.