HBA-BSM C.S.H.B. 3171 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3171 By: Thompson Judicial Affairs 4/30/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, many district courts in Texas are experiencing a growth in pending cases or have a large backlog of cases. The establishment of new judicial districts may help alleviate the backlog in cases. C.S.H.B. 3171 creates additional judicial districts composed of specified counties and modifies the composition of other judicial districts. 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. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 3171 amends the Government Code to create the 397th Judicial District which is composed of Hidalgo County and requires the 397th District Court to give preference to cases and proceedings concerning juvenile justice matters. The bill creates the 412th Judicial District which is composed of Fannin County and removes Fannin County from the 6th and 336th judicial districts. The bill adds Willacy County to the 404th Judicial District. The bill also creates the 413th Judicial District composed of Johnson and Somervell counties, the 414th Judicial District composed of McLennan County, and the 415th Judicial District composed of Travis County, which is required to give preference to civil cases. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 3171 differs from the original by replacing Collin County with Fannin County in the composition of the 412th Judicial District. The substitute also removes Fannin County from the 6th and 336th Judicial Districts and adds Willacy County to the 404th Judicial District. The substitute creates the 413th Judicial District composed of Johnson and Somervell counties, the 414th Judicial District composed of McLennan County, and the 415th Judicial District composed of Travis County. The substitute provides that Hidalgo County composes the 397th rather than the 410th Judicial District.