BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 734 By: Patrick, Diane Public Education Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, a magistrate in a county with a population of two million or more is permitted to hear truancy cases. H.B. 734 allows the county judge of a county with a population of 1.4 million or more, with the consent of the commissioners court, to appoint a magistrate to hear truancy cases. The county judge retains final authority over the decision rendered by the magistrate. In addition, the bill allows a newly created truancy court in a county with a population of 1.4 million or more to have original jurisdiction over truancy cases. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 734 amends the Government Code to lower from two million or more to 1.4 million or more the minimum population of a county in which a constitutional county court has the authority to appoint one or more part-time or full-time magistrates to hear truancy cases and has original jurisdiction over truancy cases. The bill makes conforming changes to the Education Code, the Family Code, and the Government Code. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2011.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 734
By: Patrick, Diane
Public Education
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 734
By: Patrick, Diane
Public Education
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, a magistrate in a county with a population of two million or more is permitted to hear truancy cases. H.B. 734 allows the county judge of a county with a population of 1.4 million or more, with the consent of the commissioners court, to appoint a magistrate to hear truancy cases. The county judge retains final authority over the decision rendered by the magistrate. In addition, the bill allows a newly created truancy court in a county with a population of 1.4 million or more to have original jurisdiction over truancy cases.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 734 amends the Government Code to lower from two million or more to 1.4 million or more the minimum population of a county in which a constitutional county court has the authority to appoint one or more part-time or full-time magistrates to hear truancy cases and has original jurisdiction over truancy cases. The bill makes conforming changes to the Education Code, the Family Code, and the Government Code.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2011.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, a magistrate in a county with a population of two million or more is permitted to hear truancy cases. H.B. 734 allows the county judge of a county with a population of 1.4 million or more, with the consent of the commissioners court, to appoint a magistrate to hear truancy cases. The county judge retains final authority over the decision rendered by the magistrate. In addition, the bill allows a newly created truancy court in a county with a population of 1.4 million or more to have original jurisdiction over truancy cases.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 734 amends the Government Code to lower from two million or more to 1.4 million or more the minimum population of a county in which a constitutional county court has the authority to appoint one or more part-time or full-time magistrates to hear truancy cases and has original jurisdiction over truancy cases. The bill makes conforming changes to the Education Code, the Family Code, and the Government Code.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2011.