HBA-GUM, KMH H.B. 3176 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3176 By: King, Phil Judicial Affairs 7/27/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 76th Texas Legislature, the jurisdictional maximum amount in controversy for civil cases filed in the Parker County Court at Law was the sum of $100,000. An increase to $500,000 in controversy was sought to make Parker County consistent with other county courts at law throughout the state. This amount is more realistic in view of the economic factors involved in civil litigation. Parker County has one district court with countywide jurisdiction along with one county court at law. The county court at law had civil jurisdiction along with one county court at law. The county court at law had civil jurisdiction from the time of its creation by the legislature and such jurisdiction may be more realistically utilized if the jurisdictional limit was increased. The district court caseload was at the time approximately 1,800 cases. The creation of an increased jurisdictional limit in the county court at law may have the effect of moving some of the civil litigation filings to the county court at law while, at the same time, allowing for a significant amount of the civil litigation to mandatorily be filed in the district court. H.B. 3176 increases the jurisdictional amount in controversy limit to $500,000 from $100,000. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.1862(a), Government Code, to expand the jurisdiction of the county court at law in Parker County to include concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in civil cases in which the matter in controversy exceeds $500 but does not exceed $500,000, excluding interest, statutory or punitive damages and penalties, and attorney's fees and costs, as alleged on the face of the petition. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.