S.B. No. 2217

	AN ACT
	relating to the designation of a judicial district in Harris County
	as the district court for domestic violence cases in that county.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 24.112, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (g), (h), (i), (j),
	(k), and (l) to read as follows:
	(b)  Except as provided by Subsection (g), the [The]
	provisions of this section apply to the 11th, 55th, 61st, 80th,
	113th, 125th, 127th, 129th, 133rd, 151st, 152nd, 157th, 164th, and
	165th judicial districts.
	(g)  Subsection (h) applies to the 11th, 55th, 61st, 80th,
	113th, 125th, 127th, 129th, 133rd, 151st, 152nd, 157th, 164th,
	165th, 189th, 190th, 215th, 234th, 269th, 270th, 280th, 281st,
	295th, 333rd, and 334th judicial districts.
	(h)  The judges of the district courts listed in Subsection
	(g) by agreement shall designate one of the listed district courts
	as the domestic violence district court for Harris County. In
	designating the domestic violence district court, the judges shall
	give preference to a district court:
	(1)  that has a judicial vacancy at the time of the
	agreement; or
	(2)  for which the sitting judge of the district court
	has not at the time of the agreement announced a candidacy or become
	a candidate in the upcoming election for that judicial office.
	(i)  Subject to any jurisdictional limitations, the district
	court designated under Subsection (h) as the domestic violence
	district court shall give preference to domestic violence cases,
	including cases involving:
	(1)  dating violence, as defined by Section 71.0021,
	Family Code; and
	(2)  family violence, as defined by Section 71.004,
	Family Code.
	(j)  For the purposes of determining the preference the
	designated domestic violence district court is required to give
	cases under Subsection (i):
	(1)  a domestic violence case means:
	(A)  an original application for a protective
	order under Title 4, Family Code;
	(B)  an original application for a protective
	order under Title 4, Family Code, that involves both parties and is
	filed concurrently with an original petition under the Family Code;
	and
	(C)  any matter involving custody of a minor child
	if one parent is alleged to have caused the death of another parent
	and there is a history of domestic violence in the parents'
	relationship; and
	(2)  subject to judicial discretion and resources, the
	designated domestic violence district court may also hear divorce
	and custody cases in which:
	(A)  a court has made an affirmative finding of
	family violence involving both parties; or
	(B)  a protective order has been issued under
	Title 4, Family Code, involving both parties.
	(k)  The designated domestic violence district court shall:
	(1)  provide timely and efficient access to emergency
	protective orders and other court remedies for persons the court
	determines are victims of domestic violence;
	(2)  integrate victims' services for persons the court
	determines are victims of domestic violence who have a case before
	the court; and
	(3)  promote an informed and consistent court response
	to domestic violence cases to lessen the number of misdemeanors,
	felonies, and fatalities related to domestic violence in Harris
	County.
	(l)  The Harris County district clerk shall create a form and
	establish procedures to transfer a domestic violence case that
	qualifies for preference under this section to the domestic
	violence district court.
	SECTION 2.  Not later than October 1, 2009, the judges of the
	district courts listed in Subsection (g), Section 24.112,
	Government Code, as added by this Act, shall by agreement designate
	a listed court as the domestic violence district court for Harris
	County.  If the judges fail to designate a domestic violence
	district court on or before October 1, 2009, the local
	administrative judge for the Harris County district courts shall
	designate a domestic violence court not later than October 5, 2009.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2217 passed the Senate on
	April 30, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2217 passed the House on
	May 26, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, two
	present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor