H.B. No. 4008
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of additional county criminal courts at
  law in El Paso County.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 25.0731(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  El Paso County has the following statutory county
  courts:
               (1)  County Court at Law No. 1 of El Paso County, Texas;
               (2)  County Court at Law No. 2 of El Paso County, Texas;
               (3)  County Court at Law No. 3 of El Paso County, Texas;
               (4)  County Court at Law No. 4 of El Paso County, Texas;
               (5)  County Court at Law No. 5 of El Paso County, Texas;
               (6)  County Court at Law No. 6 of El Paso County, Texas;
               (7)  County Court at Law No. 7 of El Paso County, Texas;
               (8)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 1 of El Paso
  County, Texas; [and]
               (9)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 2 of El Paso
  County, Texas;
               (10)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 3 of El Paso
  County, Texas; and
               (11)  County Criminal Court at Law No. 4 of El Paso
  County, Texas.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 25.0732(y) and (z), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (y)  The El Paso Council of Judges shall order the transfer
  of criminal misdemeanor cases to the county criminal courts at law
  [County Criminal Courts No. 1 and No. 2] from time to time to
  equalize the criminal misdemeanor dockets of the statutory county
  courts for the efficient operation of the court system and the
  effective administration of justice.  In determining the court to
  which a case is transferred, the council shall give preference to a
  county criminal court at law that is required to give preference to
  certain cases under Subsection (z).
         (z)  The County Criminal Courts No. 1, [and] No. 2, No. 3, and
  No. 4 have the criminal jurisdiction provided by this section and
  other law for statutory county courts in El Paso County and
  appellate jurisdiction in appeals of criminal cases from justice
  courts and municipal courts in the county as provided by Article
  45.042, Code of Criminal Procedure.  The County Criminal Court No. 4
  shall give preference to cases prosecuted under:
               (1)  Section 22.01, Penal Code, in which the victim is a
  person whose relationship to or association with the defendant is
  described under Chapter 71, Family Code; and
               (2)  Section 25.07, Penal Code.
         SECTION 3.  The County Criminal Court at Law No. 3 of El Paso
  County, Texas, and the County Criminal Court at Law No. 4 of El Paso
  County, Texas, are created September 1, 2007.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4008 was passed by the House on May 8,
  2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4008 was passed by the Senate on May
  23, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor