By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1575

(In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2009; March 17, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence; March 30, 2009, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; March 30, 2009, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the random assignment of criminal and civil cases in district courts in Hidalgo County.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 24, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 24.034 to read as follows:

Sec. 24.034. ASSIGNMENT OF CASES IN DISTRICT COURTS IN HIDALGO COUNTY. (a) All civil and criminal cases in the district courts in Hidalgo County shall be assigned and docketed at random by the district clerk using an automated system.

(b) In assigning a case to a district court, the district clerk shall take into consideration any requirement in Subchapter B that a district court in Hidalgo County give preference to specific matters.

SECTION 2. The following provisions of the Government Code are repealed:

(1) Subsection (d), Section 24.194;

(2) Subsection (d), Section 24.195;

(3) Subsection (d), Section 24.241;

(4) Subsection (b), Section 24.385;

(5) Subsection (b), Section 24.452;

(6) Subsection (b), Section 24.478;

(7) Subsection (b), Section 24.515;

(8) Subsection (c), Section 24.534;

(9) Subsection (c), Section 24.543; and

(10) Subsection (c), Section 24.574.

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a case assigned to a Hidalgo County district court on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

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