By: Harless, Dutton, Davis of Harris H.B. No. 2536
        (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 2015;
  May 4, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on State
  Affairs; May 12, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 5, Nays 2; May 12, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to jurisdiction in an eminent domain proceeding in Harris
  County.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 25.1032, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
  follows:
         (c)  A county civil court at law has exclusive jurisdiction
  in Harris County of eminent domain proceedings, both statutory and
  inverse, if the amount in controversy in a statutory proceeding
  does not exceed the amount provided by Section 25.0003(c) in civil
  cases. Notwithstanding Section 21.013, Property Code, a party
  initiating a condemnation proceeding in Harris County may file a
  petition with the district clerk when the amount in controversy
  exceeds the amount provided by Section 25.0003(c). The amount in
  controversy is the amount of the bona fide offer made by the entity
  with eminent domain authority to acquire the property from the
  property owner voluntarily [regardless of the amount in
  controversy].
         (d)  In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, a
  county civil court at law has jurisdiction to:
               (1)  decide the issue of title to real or personal
  property;
               (2)  hear a suit to recover damages for slander or
  defamation of character;
               (3)  hear a suit for the enforcement of a lien on real
  property;
               (4)  hear a suit for the forfeiture of a corporate
  charter;
               (5)  hear a suit for the trial of the right to property
  valued at $200 or more that has been levied on under a writ of
  execution, sequestration, or attachment; and
               (6)  hear a suit for the recovery of real property.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an eminent domain proceeding for which a petition is filed on or
  after the effective date of this Act. An eminent domain proceeding
  for which a petition is filed before the effective date of this Act
  is governed by the law in effect immediately before that date, and
  that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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