88R10302 CJD-F
	By: Cook, Goldman, Capriglione, Schatzline	H.B. No. 3386

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the criminal district courts, statutory county courts,
	and criminal law magistrates in Tarrant County.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 24.392, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read
	as follows:
	(b)  The 213th District Court shall give preference to
	criminal cases.
	(c)  The terms of the 213th District Court begin on the first
	Mondays in January, April, July, and October.
	(d) [(c)]  In addition to other jurisdiction provided by
	law, the 213th District Court has concurrent original jurisdiction
	with the county criminal courts in Tarrant County over misdemeanor
	cases.
	SECTION 2.  Section 24.516, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
	follows:
	(c)  The terms of the 371st District Court begin on the first
	Mondays in January, April, July, and October.
	(d)  In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the
	371st District Court has concurrent original jurisdiction with the
	county criminal courts in Tarrant County over misdemeanor cases.
	SECTION 3.  Section 24.517, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
	follows:
	(c)  The terms of the 372nd District Court begin on the first
	Mondays in January, April, July, and October.
	(d)  In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the
	372nd District Court has concurrent original jurisdiction with the
	county criminal courts in Tarrant County over misdemeanor cases.
	SECTION 4.  Section 24.541, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
	follows:
	(c)  The terms of the 396th District Court begin on the first
	Mondays in January, April, July, and October.
	(d)  In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the
	396th District Court has concurrent original jurisdiction with the
	county criminal courts and the justice courts in Tarrant County
	over misdemeanor cases.
	SECTION 5.  Section 24.576, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
	(c)  The terms of the 432nd District Court begin on the first
	Mondays in January, April, July, and October.
	(d)  In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the
	432nd District Court has concurrent original jurisdiction with the
	county criminal courts in Tarrant County over misdemeanor cases.
	SECTION 6.  Section 24.60030, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
	(c)  The terms of the 485th District Court begin on the first
	Mondays in January, April, July, and October.
	(d)  In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the
	485th District Court has concurrent original jurisdiction with the
	county criminal courts in Tarrant County over misdemeanor cases.
	SECTION 7.  Section 24.910, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsections (b), (c), and (e)
	to read as follows:
	(a-1)  Subchapter C applies to the Tarrant County Criminal
	District Court No. 1.
	(b)  This section applies to the Tarrant County Criminal
	District Courts Nos. 1, 2, [and] 3, and 4.
	(c)  The criminal district courts have jurisdiction of
	criminal cases within the jurisdiction of a district court.  The
	criminal district courts also have concurrent original
	jurisdiction with the county criminal courts in Tarrant County over
	misdemeanor cases.  The criminal district courts do not have
	appellate misdemeanor jurisdiction.
	(e)  The judge of each criminal district court or county
	criminal court may, on motion of the judge or the criminal district
	attorney, transfer misdemeanor cases between the courts by an order
	entered in the minutes of the transferor [transferring] court.  The
	clerk of the transferor [transferring] court shall certify the
	style and number of the case to the clerk of the transferee court
	[to which it is transferred] and include the papers of the case with
	the certification.  The [receiving] clerk of the transferee court
	shall promptly docket the transferred case.  The transferee
	[receiving] court shall dispose of the case as if it had been
	originally instituted in that court.
	SECTION 8.  Section 24.911, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
	(a-1)  Subchapter C applies to the Tarrant County Criminal
	District Court No. 2.
	SECTION 9.  Section 24.912, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
	(a-1)  Subchapter C applies to the Tarrant County Criminal
	District Court No. 3.
	SECTION 10.  The heading to Section 24.913, Government Code,
	is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 24.913.  TARRANT COUNTY CRIMINAL JUDICIAL DISTRICT
	NO. 4 [OF TARRANT COUNTY].
	SECTION 11.  Section 24.913, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (d-1) to
	read as follows:
	(a)  The Tarrant County Criminal Judicial District No. 4 [of
	Tarrant County] is composed of Tarrant County.
	(d)  Subchapter C applies to the Tarrant County Criminal
	District Court No. 4 [of Tarrant County].
	(d-1)  Section 24.910, relating to the Tarrant County
	Criminal District Court No. 1, contains provisions applicable to
	both that court and the Tarrant County Criminal District Court
	No. 4.
	SECTION 12.  Sections 25.2223(a), (i), (j), (j-2), and (l),
	Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
	(a)  A county criminal court in Tarrant County has
	jurisdiction over all criminal matters and causes, original and
	appellate, prescribed by law for county courts, but does not have
	civil jurisdiction. In addition to the jurisdiction provided by
	Section 25.0003 and other law, a county criminal court in Tarrant
	County has concurrent original jurisdiction of criminal cases with
	a district court other than felony cases involving capital
	murder.  The County Criminal Courts Nos. 9 [5] and 10 of Tarrant
	County also have concurrent jurisdiction within the county of all
	appeals from criminal convictions under the laws of this state and
	the municipal ordinances of the municipalities located in Tarrant
	County that are appealed from the justice courts and municipal
	courts in the county.  [The County Criminal Courts Nos. 5, 7, 8, 9,
	and 10 of Tarrant County also have concurrent jurisdiction with the
	district court in felony cases to conduct arraignments, conduct
	pretrial hearings, and accept guilty pleas.]
	(i)  The official court reporter of a county criminal court
	is entitled to the same fees and salary as a district court reporter
	and shall perform the same duties and take the oath of office as
	provided by law for district court reporters.  [The official court
	reporter for the County Criminal Court No. 1 or 3 of Tarrant County
	is not required to take testimony in cases in which neither a party
	nor the judge demands it.]
	(j)  At least two bailiffs shall be assigned regularly to
	each county criminal court in [the County Criminal Court No. 1 of
	Tarrant County and the County Criminal Court No. 2 of] Tarrant
	County.  Except as provided by Subsection (j-2), each judge [the
	judges] of a county criminal court [the County Criminal Courts Nos.
	1 and 2 of Tarrant County] shall [each] appoint one officer to act
	as bailiff of the judge's court, and the sheriff of Tarrant County
	shall appoint a bailiff for each court as prescribed by law.  The
	bailiffs serve at the pleasure of the court and shall perform the
	duties required by the judge of the court to which the bailiffs are
	assigned.
	(j-2)  The judge of a county criminal court [listed in
	Subsection (j) or (j-1)] may authorize the sheriff to appoint all
	bailiffs in the judge's court.  If the sheriff is authorized by a
	judge to make the judge's appointment under this subsection, the
	sheriff shall appoint at least two officers to act as bailiffs for
	the judge's court.  A bailiff appointed under this subsection
	serves at the pleasure of the court and shall perform the duties
	required by the judge of the court to which the bailiff is assigned.
	(l)  The County Criminal Courts Nos. [Court No.] 5 and 6 of
	Tarrant County [and the County Criminal Court No. 6 of Tarrant
	County] shall give preference to cases brought under Title 5, Penal
	Code, involving family violence as defined by Section 71.004,
	Family Code, and cases brought under Sections 25.07, 25.072, and
	42.07(a)(2) [42.072], Penal Code.
	SECTION 13.  Section 54.651, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
	(d)  A magistrate appointed under this subchapter may not
	engage in the private practice of law, as defined by Section 81.101,
	in Tarrant County.
	SECTION 14.  Section 54.656(a), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(a)  A judge may refer to a magistrate any criminal case or
	matter relating to a criminal case for proceedings involving:
	(1)  a negotiated plea of guilty or nolo contendere [no
	contest] and sentencing before the court;
	(2)  a bond forfeiture, remittitur, and related
	proceedings;
	(3)  a pretrial motion;
	(4)  a writ of habeas corpus;
	(5)  an examining trial;
	(6)  an occupational driver's license;
	(7)  a petition for an order of expunction under
	Chapter 55, Code of Criminal Procedure;
	(8)  an asset forfeiture hearing as provided by Chapter
	59, Code of Criminal Procedure;
	(9)  a petition for an order of nondisclosure of
	criminal history record information or an order of nondisclosure of
	criminal history record information that does not require a
	petition provided by Subchapter E-1, Chapter 411;
	(10)  a motion to modify or revoke community
	supervision or to proceed with an adjudication of guilt;
	(11)  setting conditions, modifying, revoking, and
	surrendering of bonds, including surety bonds;
	(12)  specialty court proceedings;
	(13)  a waiver of extradition; and
	(14)  any other matter the referring judge considers
	necessary and proper.
	SECTION 15.  Section 152.2264, Human Resources Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 152.2264.  TARRANT COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT
	ADMINISTRATOR.  (a)  Subject to the approval of the commissioners
	court, the judges of the district courts that give preference to
	criminal cases, the judges of the criminal district courts, and the
	judges of the county criminal courts of Tarrant County [and county
	courts in Tarrant County that give preference to criminal matters]
	may use the services of a criminal courts administrator.
	(b)  A judge may not be subjected to a suit for, and is immune
	from liability for damages arising from, an act or omission
	committed while performing a duty under this section unless the act
	or omission is:
	(1)  committed intentionally, wilfully, or wantonly;
	or
	(2)  committed with:
	(A)  gross negligence; [or]
	(B)  conscious indifference [or reckless
	disregard] for the safety of others; or
	(C)  reckless disregard for the safety of others.
	SECTION 16.  The following provisions of the Government Code
	are repealed:
	(1)  Section 24.910(f);
	(2)  Sections 24.913(b), (c), and (e); and
	(3)  Sections 25.2223(b) and (j-1).
	SECTION 17.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.