H.B. No. 1077




AN ACT
relating to the composition of certain courts of appeals districts and to the assignment and transfer of cases in certain courts of appeals districts. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Sections 22.201(b), (f), (j), (k), (m), and (o), Government Code, are amended to read as follows: (b) The First Court of Appeals District is composed of the counties of Austin, Brazoria, [Burleson,] Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, [Trinity, Walker,] Waller, and Washington. (f) The Fifth Court of Appeals District is composed of the counties of Collin, Dallas, Grayson, Hunt, Kaufman, and Rockwall[, and Van Zandt]. (j) The Ninth Court of Appeals District is composed of the counties of [Angelina,] Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, and Tyler. (k) The Tenth Court of Appeals District is composed of the counties of Bosque, Burleson, Brazos, Coryell, Ellis, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Johnson, Leon, Limestone, Madison, McLennan, Navarro, Robertson, [and] Somervell, and Walker. (m) The Twelfth Court of Appeals District is composed of the counties of Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, [Hopkins,] Houston, [Kaufman,] Nacogdoches, [Panola,] Rains, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Trinity, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood. (o) The Fourteenth Court of Appeals District is composed of the counties of Austin, Brazoria, [Burleson,] Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, [Trinity, Walker,] Waller, and Washington. SECTION 2. Sections 22.207(c) and 22.213(d), Government Code, are repealed. SECTION 3. (a) Burleson, Trinity, and Walker Counties: (1) may not impose a fee under Section 22.2021(b), Government Code, for cases filed on or after the effective date of this Act; and (2) as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, shall transfer the money collected under that section to the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals. (b) Van Zandt County: (1) may not impose a fee under Section 22.2061(b), Government Code, for cases filed on or after the effective date of this Act; and (2) as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, shall transfer the money collected under that section to the Fifth Court of Appeals. (c) Burleson, Trinity, and Walker Counties shall reimburse Harris County, as required under Section 22.202(c), Government Code, for the costs incurred by Harris County from March 1, 2005, until the effective date of this Act to support the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals Districts. SECTION 4. This Act does not affect the jurisdiction on appeal of any case from a county that is transferred by this Act to a different court of appeals district if the notice of appeal for the case was filed before September 1, 2005. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 1077 was passed by the House on March 22, 2005, by a non-record vote; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1077 on May 17, 2005, and requested the appointment of a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 1077 on May 27, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 113, Nays 25, 3 present, not voting. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 1077 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 13, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 1077 on May 26, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________ Date __________________ Governor