BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 4281
85R28442 YDB-D	By: Lambert (Perry)
	Administration
	5/22/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Interested parties suggest that the manner in which the 1st Multicounty Court at Law currently handles certain of its judicial administrative responsibilities is inconsistent with the manner in which other courts at law operate. H.B. 4281 addresses this issue by clarifying certain of the administrative processes of the court.

H.B. 4281 amends current law relating to the 1st Multicounty County Court at Law.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.2702, Government Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (g), as follows:

(a) Provides that, in addition to jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 (Jurisdiction) and other law, the 1st Multicounty Court at Law has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases and proceedings and felony criminal cases, rather than in family law cases and proceedings.

(d) Requires the judge of the county court at law to appoint an official court reporter and authorizes the judge to appoint a court administrator to aid the judge in the performance of the judge�s duties. Provides that the official court reporter and the court administrator of the county court at law are entitled to receive the same salary and to be paid in the same manner as the official court reporter and court administrator, respectively, of the district court in the administrative county for the court. Deletes existing text providing that an official court reporter of the county court at law is entitled to a salary set by the commissioners courts in the counties the reporter serves to be paid out of the county treasuries, either by salary or by contract as set by the commissioners courts.

(g) Provides that the judge of the county court at law is entitled to travel expenses and necessary office expenses as authorized by the commissioners court of the administrative county.

SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 3.07(b) (relating to the 1st Multicounty Court at Law in Fisher and Nolan Counties), Chapter 1182 (S.B. 1139), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, which amends Section 25.2701, Government Code, to be effective January 1, 2019.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.