HBA-BSM H.B. 3649 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3649
By: Merritt
Judicial Affairs
4/19/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

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 has
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.