HBA-BSM H.B. 3649 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3649 By: Merritt Judicial Affairs 7/19/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Previously, the legislature granted the Gregg County Court at Law concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases and proceedings. This enabled the judge of the county court at law to hear uncontested divorce and other family cases. The Gregg County Board of Judges have requested that the court at law be granted concurrent jurisdiction with all district courts in Gregg County. Over the last five years, pending cases before the district courts have increased by more than 500 cases. House Bill 3649 grants the Gregg County Court at Law concurrent jurisdiction with district courts of Texas in civil and criminal cases, except capital murder. 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 House Bill 3649 amends the Government Code to provide that a county court of law in Gregg County has concurrent jurisdiction provided by the constitution and general law for district courts, except that the county court at law does not have jurisdiction in capital felony cases. The bill sets forth provisions for the composition of juries in cases tried before the county court at law. EFFECTIVE DATE January 1, 2003.