88R9746 AMF-F
 
  By: Allison H.B. No. 2567
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of Probate Court No. 3 of Bexar County,
  Texas, and the administration of the statutory probate courts in
  Bexar County.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 25.0171(c), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  Bexar County also has the following statutory probate
  courts:
               (1)  Probate Court No. 1 of Bexar County, Texas; [and]
               (2)  Probate Court No. 2 of Bexar County, Texas; and
               (3)  Probate Court No. 3 of Bexar County, Texas.
         SECTION 2.  Section 25.0173, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (o) and adding Subsection (p) to read
  as follows:
         (a)  A statutory probate court in Bexar County has the
  general jurisdiction of a probate court as provided by Section
  25.0021.  Probate Courts Nos. 1, [and] 2, and 3 have eminent domain
  jurisdiction and jurisdiction to decide the issue of title to real
  or personal property.  Notwithstanding the local rules adopted
  under Section 74.093, the county clerk shall docket all eminent
  domain cases equally among [in] Probate Courts Nos. [Court No.] 1,
  [and Probate Court No.] 2, and 3.
         (o)  Notwithstanding the local rules adopted under Section
  74.093, the county clerk shall:
               (1)  docket all mental health matters in Probate Court
  No. 1; and
               (2)  assign equally among the statutory probate courts
  in Bexar County and [shall] docket at random all other matters and
  proceedings filed in the statutory probate courts in Bexar County
  [even-numbered probate cases in Probate Court No. 2 and all
  odd-numbered probate cases in Probate Court No. 1].
         (p)  Notwithstanding Section 25.0022(h), in the absence,
  disqualification, or incapacity of a statutory probate judge in
  Bexar County or on the judge's request, the statutory probate
  judges in Bexar County may sit and act for each other in any probate
  matter or proceeding.  A statutory probate judge in Bexar County
  may:
               (1)  hear and determine any matter or proceeding
  pending in another statutory probate court in Bexar County; or
               (2)  enter any order in the matter or proceeding that
  the judge of the other statutory probate court in Bexar County may
  enter.
         SECTION 3.  Section 25.0173(j), Government Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 4.  The Probate Court No. 3 of Bexar County, Texas,
  is created on September 1, 2023.
         SECTION 5.  Notwithstanding Section 25.0173, Government
  Code, as amended by this Act, the county clerk for Bexar County
  shall assign to Probate Court No. 3 of Bexar County, Texas,
  one-third of all cases pending on the effective date of this Act in
  Probate Court No. 1 of Bexar County, Texas, and Probate Court No. 2
  of Bexar County, Texas, that were filed before January 1, 2020.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.