81R2777 KFF-D
By: Guillen H.B. No. 1399
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the powers and duties of a municipal court judge with
respect to certain inquests.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 49, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Subchapter C to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER C. DUTIES PERFORMED BY MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES
Art. 49.51. POWERS AND DUTIES. A judge of a municipal court
may conduct an inquest under this chapter into the death of a person
who dies in the municipality served by the judge to the same extent
a justice of the peace serving the precinct in which the body or
body part was found may conduct an inquest under Subchapter A into
the death of that person. The municipal court judge may exercise
any power granted to, and shall perform any duty imposed on, the
justice of the peace by Subchapter A or another law relating to
inquests conducted by a justice of the peace.
SECTION 2. Article 49.07, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
(c-1) A person who is required by this subchapter to give
notice to a justice of the peace or county judge may instead give
notice to a judge of a municipal court in the municipality in which
the body or body part was found.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.