HBA-NMO S.B. 1125 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1125 By: Armbrister Criminal Jurisprudence 5/10/1999 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Civil Practice and Remedies Code authorizes a court to refer a pending dispute for resolution by an alternative dispute resolution procedure. S.B. 1125 prohibits a court from ordering the state or any of its prosecuting attorneys to participate in mediation, dispute resolution, arbitration, or other similar procedures in relation to a felony criminal prosecution unless upon written consent of the state. 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 Article 26.13, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding Subsection (h), as follows: (h) Prohibits a court from ordering the state or any of its prosecuting attorneys to participate in mediation, dispute resolution, arbitration, or other similar procedures in relation to a felony criminal prosecution unless upon written consent of the state. SECTION 2.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee Amendment #1 SECTION 1. Amends proposed Article 26.13(h) to prohibit a court from ordering the state or any of its prosecuting attorneys to participate in mediation, dispute resolution, arbitration, or other similar procedures in relation to a criminal prosecution, rather than a felony criminal prosecution, unless upon written consent of the state.