By: Flores S.B. No. 251
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of criminal law magistrates for Bell
County.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 54, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter EE to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER EE. BELL COUNTY CRIMINAL MAGISTRATES
Sec. 54.1601. APPOINTMENT. (a) The Commissioners Court of
Bell County may select magistrates to serve the courts of Bell
County having jurisdiction in criminal matters.
(b) The commissioners court shall establish the minimum
qualifications, salary, benefits, and other compensation of each
magistrate position and shall determine whether the position is
full-time or part-time. The qualifications must require the
magistrate to:
(1) have served as a justice of the peace or municipal
court judge; or
(2) have been licensed to practice law in this state
and in good standing with the State Bar of Texas for at least two
years.
(c) A magistrate appointed under this section serves at the
pleasure of the commissioners court.
Sec. 54.1602. JURISDICTION. A magistrate has concurrent
criminal jurisdiction with the judges of the justice of the peace
courts of Bell County.
Sec. 54.1603. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The Commissioners
Court of Bell County shall establish the powers and duties of a
magistrate appointed under this subchapter. Except as otherwise
provided by the commissioners court, a magistrate has the powers of
a magistrate under the Code of Criminal Procedure and other laws of
this state and may administer an oath for any purpose.
(b) A magistrate shall give preference to performing the
duties of a magistrate under Article 15.17, Code of Criminal
Procedure.
(c) The commissioners court may designate one or more
magistrates to hold regular hearings to:
(1) give admonishments;
(2) set and review bail and conditions of release;
(3) appoint legal counsel; and
(4) determine other routine matters relating to
preindictment or pending cases within those courts' jurisdiction.
(d) In the hearings provided under Subsection (c), a
magistrate shall give preference to the case of an individual held
in county jail.
(e) A magistrate may inquire into a defendant's intended
plea to the charge and set the case for an appropriate hearing
before a judge or master.
Sec. 54.1604. JUDICIAL IMMUNITY. A magistrate has the same
judicial immunity as a district judge.
Sec. 54.1605. WITNESSES. (a) A witness who is sworn and
who appears before a magistrate is subject to the penalties for
perjury and aggravated perjury provided by law.
(b) A referring court may fine or imprison a witness or
other court participant for failure to appear after being summoned,
refusal to answer questions, or other acts of direct contempt
before a magistrate.
SECTION 2. Article 2A.151, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended to conform to Section 4.001, Chapter 861 (H.B. 3474), Acts
of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, and to read as
follows:
Art. 2A.151. TYPES OF MAGISTRATES. The following officers
are magistrates for purposes of this code:
(1) a justice of the supreme court;
(2) a judge of the court of criminal appeals;
(3) a justice of the courts of appeals;
(4) a judge of a district court;
(5) an associate judge appointed by:
(A) a judge of a district court or a statutory
county court that gives preference to criminal cases in Jefferson
County;
(B) a judge of a district court or a statutory
county court of Brazos County, Nueces County, or Williamson County;
or
(C) a judge of a district court under Chapter
54A, Government Code;
(6) a criminal magistrate appointed by:
(A) the Bell County Commissioners Court;
(B) the Brazoria County Commissioners Court; or
(C) [(B)] the Burnet County Commissioners Court;
(7) a criminal law hearing officer for:
(A) Harris County appointed under Subchapter L,
Chapter 54, Government Code; or
(B) Cameron County appointed under Subchapter
BB, Chapter 54, Government Code;
(8) a magistrate appointed:
(A) by a judge of a district court of Bexar
County, Dallas County, or Tarrant County that gives preference to
criminal cases;
(B) by a judge of a criminal district court of
Dallas County or Tarrant County;
(C) by a judge of a district court or statutory
county court of Denton or Grayson County;
(D) by a judge of a district court or statutory
county court that gives preference to criminal cases in Travis
County;
(E) [(D)] by the El Paso Council of Judges;
(F) [(E)] by the Fort Bend County Commissioners
Court;
(G) [(F)] by the Collin County Commissioners
Court; or
(H) [(G)] under Subchapter JJ, Chapter 54,
Government Code;
(9) a magistrate or associate judge appointed by a
judge of a district court of Lubbock County, Nolan County, or Webb
County;
(10) a county judge;
(11) a judge of:
(A) a statutory county court;
(B) a county criminal court; or
(C) a statutory probate court;
(12) an associate judge appointed by a judge of a
statutory probate court under Chapter 54A, Government Code;
(13) a justice of the peace; and
(14) a mayor or recorder of a municipality or a judge
of a municipal court.
SECTION 3. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails
over another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025,
relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
codes.
SECTION 4. 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, 2025.