HBA-BSM S.B. 847 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 847 By: Nelson Judicial Affairs 5/3/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Town of Westlake does not have a municipal court of record. Without a local statute providing for a municipal court of record, Texas law requires appeals for a municipal court to be heard by a trial de novo, or 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. Senate Bill 847 authorizes Westlake to create municipal courts of record and provides that Tarrant County courts at law that have criminal appellate jurisdiction are 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 Senate Bill 847 amends the Government Code to create municipal courts of record in the Town of Westlake in Denton and Tarrant counties. The bill defines "appellate courts" as the county courts at law of Tarrant County that have criminal appellate jurisdiction. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.