S.B. No. 1893
AN ACT
relating to the administrative judicial regions in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 71.038 to read as follows:
Sec. 71.038. REGIONAL INFORMATION. The council shall
collect judicial statistics and other pertinent information from
the presiding judges of each administrative judicial region in this
state regarding the amount and character of any business transacted
by the presiding judges. As a duty of office, the presiding judges
shall report monthly any information required by the council under
this section.
SECTION 2. Effective September 1, 2017, Section 74.042,
Government Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), (c),
and (d) and adding Subsections (k) and (l) to read as follows:
(a) The state is divided into 11 [nine] administrative
judicial regions.
(b) The First Administrative Judicial Region is composed of
the counties of [Anderson, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee,] Collin,
Dallas, [Delta,] Ellis, Fannin, [Franklin,] Grayson, [Gregg,
Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt,] Kaufman, and [Lamar,
Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rains, Red River,] Rockwall[,
Rusk, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood].
(c) The Second Administrative Judicial Region is composed
of the counties of Angelina, Bastrop, [Brazoria,] Brazos, Burleson,
Chambers, [Fort Bend, Freestone, Galveston,] Grimes, Hardin,
[Harris,] Jasper, Jefferson, Lee, [Leon,] Liberty, [Limestone,]
Madison, [Matagorda,] Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Polk,
[Robertson, Sabine, San Augustine,] San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler,
Walker, Waller, and Washington[, and Wharton].
(d) The Third Administrative Judicial Region is composed of
the counties of Austin, Bell, Blanco, Bosque, Burnet, Caldwell,
Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Coryell, Falls, Fayette, Gonzales,
Guadalupe, Hamilton, Hays, Hill, Lampasas, Lavaca, Llano,
McLennan, Milam, Navarro, Robertson, San Saba, Travis, and
Williamson.
(k) The Tenth Administrative Judicial Region is composed of
the counties of Anderson, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Delta,
Franklin, Freestone, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston,
Hunt, Lamar, Leon, Limestone, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola,
Rains, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith,
Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood.
(l) The Eleventh Administrative Judicial Region is composed
of the counties of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris,
Matagorda, and Wharton.
SECTION 3. Section 74.254(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The judicial committee for additional resources is
composed of:
(1) the chief justice of the supreme court; and
(2) the [nine] presiding judges of the administrative
judicial regions.
SECTION 4. (a) The Tenth and Eleventh Administrative
Judicial Regions are created on September 1, 2017.
(b) On September 1, 2017, the governor, with the advice and
consent of the senate, shall appoint judges to serve as presiding
judges in the Tenth and Eleventh Administrative Judicial Regions
and any administrative judicial region in which a vacancy in office
occurs because the presiding judge of a judicial region is no longer
qualified to serve as the presiding judge of the region because of
the composition of the region on that date.
(c) On September 1, 2017, the county in which a presiding
judge appointed under Subsection (b) of this section resides shall
provide adequate quarters for the operation of the applicable
administrative judicial region.
(d) Not later than September 1, 2017, the regional presiding
judges of the First through Ninth Administrative Judicial Regions:
(1) shall develop and adopt by majority vote budgets
for the Tenth and Eleventh Administrative Judicial Regions that
include an assessment for each county included in the area that will
comprise the new regions; and
(2) may by majority vote transfer money, as necessary,
from the existing judicial regions to the Tenth and Eleventh
Administrative Judicial Regions.
(e) A judge or associate judge or coordinator assigned or
appointed to a court in a county included in the First, Second,
Third, Tenth, or Eleventh Administrative Judicial Region on
September 1, 2017, continues to serve in that position until
removed by the regional presiding judge.
SECTION 5. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, 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 on the
91st day after the last day of the legislative session.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1893 passed the Senate on
May 4, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; and that the
Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2017, by the
following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1893 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 22, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 145,
Nays 1, one present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor