HBA-EDN H.B. 3662 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3662 By: Thompson Judicial Affairs 6/13/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 77th Legislature, the presiding judge of the Harris County justice courts had no other duties than to preside over meetings of the justices of the peace and to appoint special judges from among a pool of former judges of the justice courts, statutory county courts, and district courts of the state. Additionally, local rules may have only been adopted with a unanimous vote of the justices of the peace. House Bill 3662 expands the duties of the presiding judge of Harris County as well as the list of qualified persons available for appointment as a special judge. The bill also authorizes a local rule to be adopted by a twothirds vote of the justices of the peace. 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 3662 amends the Government Code to require the presiding judge of the Harris County justice court to: _keep a record of the decisions of the judges; _appoint special or standing committees necessary for court management and administration; _implement local rules, including assignment, docketing, transfer, and hearings of cases; and _provide statistical and management information requested by the supreme court or the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System. H.B. 3662 authorizes a local rule to be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the justices of the peace, rather than only by a unanimous vote. The bill includes additional persons qualified by law as persons available for appointment as special judges if a justice of the peace of Harris County is absent or for any reason unable to preside. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.