HBA-CBW H.B. 3671 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3671
By: Denny
Judicial Affairs
4/23/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Town of Trophy Club does not have a municipal court of
record.  Texas law, absent a local statute providing for a municipal court
of record,  requires appeals for a municipal court to be done by a new
trial.  A local statute providing for a municipal court of record, however,
would require the appeal to be based on the recording errors made during
the trial in lieu of a new trial.   House Bill 3671 authorizes the Town of
Trophy Club to create a municipal court of record and designates Denton
County courts at law that have criminal appellate jurisdiction as appellate
courts. 

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 3671 amends the Government Code to provide that the county
courts at law of Denton County that have criminal appellate jurisdiction
are defined as "appellate courts."  The bill applies to the Town of Trophy
Club located in Denton and Tarrant counties. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.