| 1 | 1 | | By: A. Johnson of Harris H.B. No. 166 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the creation of additional judicial districts composed |
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| 7 | 7 | | of Harris County; making an appropriation. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (1) in the last five years, Harris County has been |
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| 11 | 11 | | devastated by multiple disasters, including Hurricane Harvey and |
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| 12 | 12 | | the COVID-19 pandemic, that have resulted in the closure of |
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| 13 | 13 | | courthouses in the county and created a backlog of criminal cases |
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| 14 | 14 | | waiting to be heard; |
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| 15 | 15 | | (2) ongoing restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
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| 16 | 16 | | and construction at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center will |
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| 17 | 17 | | continue to restrict access to jury trials; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (3) an increase in defendants released on personal |
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| 19 | 19 | | bond or monetary bail while awaiting trial has lead to an increase |
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| 20 | 20 | | in the levels of crime in Harris County; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | (4) without additional courts, the Harris County |
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| 22 | 22 | | Criminal District Courts will take 15 years to clear the backlog of |
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| 23 | 23 | | criminal cases and return to the number of pending criminal cases |
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| 24 | 24 | | seen prior to Hurricane Harvey, further endangering the safety of |
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| 25 | 25 | | the Harris County community, law enforcement, and victims. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is |
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| 27 | 27 | | amended by adding Sections 24.60031, 24.60032, and 24.60033 to read |
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| 28 | 28 | | as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | Sec. 24.60031. 486TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). |
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| 30 | 30 | | (a) The 486th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) The 486th District Court shall give preference to |
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| 32 | 32 | | criminal cases. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) On February 1, 2024: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) this section expires; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) the 486th Judicial District is abolished. |
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| 36 | 36 | | Sec. 24.60032. 487TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). |
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| 37 | 37 | | (a) The 487th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) The 487th District Court shall give preference to |
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| 39 | 39 | | criminal cases. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (c) On February 1, 2024: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) this section expires; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) the 487th Judicial District is abolished. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Sec. 24.60033. 488TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). |
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| 44 | 44 | | (a) The 488th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (b) The 488th District Court shall give preference to |
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| 46 | 46 | | criminal cases. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (c) On February 1, 2024: |
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| 48 | 48 | | (1) this section expires; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (2) the 488th Judicial District is abolished. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 3. The amount of $595,716 is appropriated from the |
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| 51 | 51 | | general revenue fund to the Comptroller of Public Accounts, |
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| 52 | 52 | | Judiciary Section for the state fiscal biennium beginning September |
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| 53 | 53 | | 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing funding for the judicial |
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| 54 | 54 | | salaries and other necessary expenses for the 486th, 487th, and |
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| 55 | 55 | | 488th Judicial Districts. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 4. The 486th, 487th, and 488th Judicial Districts |
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| 57 | 57 | | are created on the effective date of this Act. |
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| 58 | 58 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2022, if this |
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| 59 | 59 | | Act receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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| 60 | 60 | | house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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| 61 | 61 | | If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for effect on that |
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| 62 | 62 | | date, this Act takes effect February 1, 2022. |
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