By: Burton, Birdwell, Nelson  S.B. No. 823
         (In the Senate - Filed February 10, 2017; February 27, 2017,
  read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
  March 29, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; March 29, 2017,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 823 By:  Creighton
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the powers and compensation of criminal law magistrates
  in Tarrant County.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 54.653, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 54.653.  COMPENSATION. (a)  A full-time magistrate is
  entitled to the salary determined by the Commissioners Court of
  Tarrant County.
         (b)  The salary of a full-time magistrate may not exceed 90
  percent of the sum of:
               (1)  [be less than] the salary [authorized to be] paid
  to a district judge by the state under Section 659.012; and
               (2)  the maximum amount of county contributions and
  supplements allowed by law to be paid to a district judge under
  Section 659.012 [master for family law cases appointed under
  Subchapter A].
         (c)  The salary of a part-time magistrate is equal to the
  per-hour salary of a full-time magistrate. The per-hour salary is
  determined by dividing the annual salary by a 2,080 work-hour year.
  The judges of the courts trying criminal cases in Tarrant County
  shall approve the number of hours for which a part-time magistrate
  is to be paid.
         (d)  A [The] magistrate's salary is paid from the county fund
  available for payment of officers' salaries.
         SECTION 2.  Section 54.656(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  A judge may refer to a magistrate any criminal case or
  matter relating to a criminal case for proceedings involving:
               (1)  a negotiated plea of guilty or no contest and
  sentencing before the court;
               (2)  a bond forfeiture, remittitur, and related
  proceedings;
               (3)  a pretrial motion;
               (4)  a [postconviction] writ of habeas corpus;
               (5)  an examining trial;
               (6)  an occupational driver's license;
               (7)  a petition for an [agreed] order of expunction
  under Chapter 55, Code of Criminal Procedure;
               (8)  an asset forfeiture hearing as provided by Chapter
  59, Code of Criminal Procedure;
               (9)  a petition for an [agreed] order of nondisclosure
  of criminal history record information or an order of nondisclosure
  of criminal history record information that does not require a
  petition provided by Subchapter E-1, Chapter 411;
               (10)  a [hearing on a] motion to modify or revoke
  community supervision or to proceed with an adjudication of guilt
  [probation]; [and]
               (11)  setting conditions, modifying, revoking, and
  surrendering of bonds, including surety bonds;
               (12)  specialty court proceedings;
               (13)  a waiver of extradition; and
               (14)  any other matter the judge considers necessary
  and proper.
         SECTION 3.  Section 54.658, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 54.658.  POWERS. (a)  Except as limited by an order of
  referral, a magistrate to whom a case is referred may:
               (1)  conduct hearings;
               (2)  hear evidence;
               (3)  compel production of relevant evidence;
               (4)  rule on admissibility of evidence;
               (5)  issue summons for the appearance of witnesses;
               (6)  examine witnesses;
               (7)  swear witnesses for hearings;
               (8)  make findings of fact on evidence;
               (9)  formulate conclusions of law;
               (10)  rule on a pretrial motion;
               (11)  recommend the rulings, orders, or judgment to be
  made in a case;
               (12)  regulate proceedings in a hearing;
               (13)  accept a plea of guilty from a defendant charged
  with misdemeanor, felony, or both misdemeanor and felony offenses;
               (14)  select a jury;
               (15)  accept a negotiated plea on a probation
  revocation;
               (16)  conduct a contested probation revocation
  hearing;
               (17)  sign a dismissal in a misdemeanor case; [and]
               (18)  in any case referred under Section 54.656(a)(1),
  accept a negotiated plea of guilty or no contest and:
                     (A)  enter a finding of guilt and impose or
  suspend the sentence; or
                     (B)  defer adjudication of guilt; and
               (19)  do any act and take any measure necessary and
  proper for the efficient performance of the duties required by the
  order of referral.
         (b)  A magistrate may sign a motion to dismiss submitted by
  an attorney representing the state on cases referred to the
  magistrate, or on dockets called by the magistrate, and may
  consider unadjudicated cases at sentencing under Section 12.45,
  Penal Code.
         (c)  A magistrate has all of the powers of a magistrate under
  the laws of this state and may administer an oath for any purpose.
         (d)  A magistrate does not have authority under Article
  18.01(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, to issue a subsequent search
  warrant under Article 18.02(a)(10), Code of Criminal Procedure.
         SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by Sections 2 and 3 of
  this Act apply to a matter or case referred to a magistrate on or
  after the effective date of this Act. A matter or case referred to a
  magistrate 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 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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