81R7873 KEL-D
By: Woolley H.B. No. 1765
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the concurrent jurisdiction of certain municipal courts
in certain criminal cases punishable by fine only.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article 4.14, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
(f) A municipality with a population of 1.9 million or more
and another municipality contiguous to that municipality may enter
into an agreement providing concurrent jurisdiction for the
municipal courts of either jurisdiction for all criminal cases
arising from offenses under state law that are:
(1) committed on the boundary of those municipalities
or within 200 yards of that boundary; and
(2) punishable by fine only.
SECTION 2. Chapter 13, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Article 13.045 to read as follows:
Art. 13.045. ON THE BOUNDARIES OF CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES.
An offense punishable by fine only that is committed on the
boundary, or within 200 yards of the boundary, of contiguous
municipalities that have entered into an agreement authorized by
Article 4.14(f) and Section 29.003(h), Government Code, may be
prosecuted in either of those municipalities.
SECTION 3. Section 29.003, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
(h) A municipality with a population of 1.9 million or more
and another municipality contiguous to that municipality may enter
into an agreement providing concurrent jurisdiction for the
municipal courts of either jurisdiction for all criminal cases
arising from offenses under state law that are:
(1) committed on the boundary of those municipalities
or within 200 yards of that boundary; and
(2) punishable by fine only.
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
before that date.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.