Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB692 by Solomons (Relating to the jurisdiction of statutory county courts.), As Engrossed
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to the jurisdiction of statutory county courts. The bill would result in a redistribution of some state jail felony criminal cases from the district courts to the statutory county courts, but it would not result in an increase in the number of state jail felony cases. The bill would provide that local administrative rules require the judges of those courts to confer with prosecuting and defending attorneys, as well as county commissioners regarding the allocation of such cases. To the extent the bill would expand jurisdiction of statutory county courts, it is expected the current judicial system would be able to handle this redistribution of cases without significantly decreasing judicial workloads in district courts. Accordingly, no significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. The bill would take effect September 1, 2009.
Local Government Impact
The bill would result in a redistribution of some state jail felony criminal cases from the district courts to the statutory county courts, but it would not result in an increase in the number of state jail felony cases. To the extent the bill would expand jurisdiction of statutory county courts, it is expected the current judicial system would be able to handle this redistribution of cases without significantly increasing judicial workloads in statutory county courts. Accordingly, no significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 696 Department of Criminal Justice