BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1380

By: Murr

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recent data indicates that small claims disputes make up a large majority of the justice court caseload in Texas. It has been suggested that increasing the amount in controversy in such a dispute over which a justice court has jurisdiction will allow greater access to justice at a lower cost and will reduce the burden currently placed on county-level courts. Furthermore, there have been calls to increase the justice court fee to help offset the cost of hiring and training additional court personnel and to improve productivity in these courts. H.B. 1380 seeks to address these issues by revising the jurisdiction of a justice court and increasing the justice court fee.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 1380 amends the Government Code to increase from $10,000 to $20,000 the maximum amount in controversy, exclusive of interest, in civil cases over which a county court has concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts and in civil matters over which a justice court has original jurisdiction if exclusive jurisdiction is not in the district or county courts.

H.B. 1380 amends the Local Government Code to increase the fee for all services rendered before judgment by a justice of the peace from $25 to $50.         

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.