BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.S.B. 268

By: Seliger

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

The position of district attorney for the 287th Judicial District, which is composed of both Parmer County and Bailey County, is currently designated as a part-time position. However, it has been observed that because of the increasing workload of this position, the district attorney now functions at a full-time level. C.S.S.B. 268 seeks to apply the professional prosecutors law to the district attorney for this judicial district, as well as to the county attorney of Oldham County.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.S.B. 268 amends the Government Code to include the district attorney for the 287th Judicial District and the county attorney performing the duties of district attorney in Oldham County among the state prosecutors who are subject to statutory provisions governing professional prosecutors.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2013.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.S.B. 268 may differ from the engrossed version in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and highlighted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the engrossed and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

SENATE ENGROSSED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1.  Section 46.002, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 46.002.  PROSECUTORS SUBJECT TO CHAPTER.  This chapter applies to the state prosecuting attorney, all county prosecutors, and the following state prosecutors:

(1)  the district attorneys for Kenedy and Kleberg Counties and for the 1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, 12th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 26th, 27th, 29th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 38th, 39th, 42nd, 43rd, 46th, 47th, 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 63rd, 64th, 66th, 69th, 70th, 76th, 81st, 83rd, 84th, 85th, 88th, 90th, 97th, 100th, 105th, 106th, 109th, 110th, 112th, 118th, 119th, 123rd, 142nd, 143rd, 145th, 156th, 159th, 173rd, 196th, 198th, 216th, 220th, 229th, 235th, 253rd, 258th, 259th, 266th, 268th, 271st, 286th, 287th, 329th, 344th, 349th, 355th, and 506th judicial districts;

(2)  the criminal district attorneys for the counties of Anderson, Austin, Bastrop, Bexar, Bowie, Brazoria, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cass, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Deaf Smith, Denton, Eastland, Fannin, Galveston, Grayson, Gregg, Harrison, Hays, Hidalgo, Jasper, Jefferson, Kaufman, Lubbock, McLennan, Madison, Navarro, Newton, Panola, Polk, Randall, Rockwall, San Jacinto, Smith, Tarrant, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Wichita, Wood, and Yoakum; and

(3)  the county attorneys performing the duties of district attorneys in the counties of Andrews, Callahan, Cameron, Castro, Colorado, Crosby, Ellis, Falls, Freestone, Lamar, Lamb, Lampasas, Lee, Limestone, Marion, Milam, Morris, Ochiltree, Orange, Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rusk, Swisher, Terry, Webb, and Willacy.

 

SECTION 1.  Section 46.002, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 46.002.  PROSECUTORS SUBJECT TO CHAPTER.  This chapter applies to the state prosecuting attorney, all county prosecutors, and the following state prosecutors:

(1)  the district attorneys for Kenedy and Kleberg Counties and for the 1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, 12th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 26th, 27th, 29th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 38th, 39th, 42nd, 43rd, 46th, 47th, 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 63rd, 64th, 66th, 69th, 70th, 76th, 81st, 83rd, 84th, 85th, 88th, 90th, 97th, 100th, 105th, 106th, 109th, 110th, 112th, 118th, 119th, 123rd, 142nd, 143rd, 145th, 156th, 159th, 173rd, 196th, 198th, 216th, 220th, 229th, 235th, 253rd, 258th, 259th, 266th, 268th, 271st, 286th, 287th, 329th, 344th, 349th, 355th, and 506th judicial districts;

(2)  the criminal district attorneys for the counties of Anderson, Austin, Bastrop, Bexar, Bowie, Brazoria, Caldwell, Calhoun, Cass, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Deaf Smith, Denton, Eastland, Fannin, Galveston, Grayson, Gregg, Harrison, Hays, Hidalgo, Jasper, Jefferson, Kaufman, Lubbock, McLennan, Madison, Navarro, Newton, Panola, Polk, Randall, Rockwall, San Jacinto, Smith, Tarrant, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Wichita, Wood, and Yoakum; and

(3)  the county attorneys performing the duties of district attorneys in the counties of Andrews, Callahan, Cameron, Castro, Colorado, Crosby, Ellis, Falls, Freestone, Lamar, Lamb, Lampasas, Lee, Limestone, Marion, Milam, Morris, Ochiltree, Oldham, Orange, Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rusk, Swisher, Terry, Webb, and Willacy.

 

SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

 

SECTION 2. Same as engrossed version.