S.B. No. 1893
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the administrative judicial regions in this state.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 71, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 71.038 to read as follows:
         Sec. 71.038.  REGIONAL INFORMATION. The council shall
  collect judicial statistics and other pertinent information from
  the presiding judges of each administrative judicial region in this
  state regarding the amount and character of any business transacted
  by the presiding judges. As a duty of office, the presiding judges
  shall report monthly any information required by the council under
  this section.
         SECTION 2.  Effective September 1, 2017, Section 74.042,
  Government Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), (c),
  and (d) and adding Subsections (k) and (l) to read as follows:
         (a)  The state is divided into 11 [nine] administrative
  judicial regions.
         (b)  The First Administrative Judicial Region is composed of
  the counties of [Anderson, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee,] Collin,
  Dallas, [Delta,] Ellis, Fannin, [Franklin,] Grayson, [Gregg,
  Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt,] Kaufman, and [Lamar,
  Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rains, Red River,] Rockwall[,
  Rusk, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood].
         (c)  The Second Administrative Judicial Region is composed
  of the counties of Angelina, Bastrop, [Brazoria,] Brazos, Burleson,
  Chambers, [Fort Bend, Freestone, Galveston,] Grimes, Hardin,
  [Harris,] Jasper, Jefferson, Lee, [Leon,] Liberty, [Limestone,]
  Madison, [Matagorda,] Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Polk,
  [Robertson, Sabine, San Augustine,] San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler,
  Walker, Waller, and Washington[, and Wharton].
         (d)  The Third Administrative Judicial Region is composed of
  the counties of Austin, Bell, Blanco, Bosque, Burnet, Caldwell,
  Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Coryell, Falls, Fayette, Gonzales,
  Guadalupe, Hamilton, Hays, Hill, Lampasas, Lavaca, Llano,
  McLennan, Milam, Navarro, Robertson, San Saba, Travis, and
  Williamson.
         (k)  The Tenth Administrative Judicial Region is composed of
  the counties of Anderson, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Delta,
  Franklin, Freestone, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston,
  Hunt, Lamar, Leon, Limestone, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola,
  Rains, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith,
  Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood.
         (l)  The Eleventh Administrative Judicial Region is composed
  of the counties of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris,
  Matagorda, and Wharton.
         SECTION 3.  Section 74.254(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The judicial committee for additional resources is
  composed of:
               (1)  the chief justice of the supreme court; and
               (2)  the [nine] presiding judges of the administrative
  judicial regions.
         SECTION 4.  (a)  The Tenth and Eleventh Administrative
  Judicial Regions are created on September 1, 2017.
         (b)  On September 1, 2017, the governor, with the advice and
  consent of the senate, shall appoint judges to serve as presiding
  judges in the Tenth and Eleventh Administrative Judicial Regions
  and any administrative judicial region in which a vacancy in office
  occurs because the presiding judge of a judicial region is no longer
  qualified to serve as the presiding judge of the region because of
  the composition of the region on that date.
         (c)  On September 1, 2017, the county in which a presiding
  judge appointed under Subsection (b) of this section resides shall
  provide adequate quarters for the operation of the applicable
  administrative judicial region.
         (d)  Not later than September 1, 2017, the regional presiding
  judges of the First through Ninth Administrative Judicial Regions:
               (1)  shall develop and adopt by majority vote budgets
  for the Tenth and Eleventh Administrative Judicial Regions that
  include an assessment for each county included in the area that will
  comprise the new regions; and
               (2)  may by majority vote transfer money, as necessary,
  from the existing judicial regions to the Tenth and Eleventh
  Administrative Judicial Regions.
         (e)  A judge or associate judge or coordinator assigned or
  appointed to a court in a county included in the First, Second,
  Third, Tenth, or Eleventh Administrative Judicial Region on
  September 1, 2017, continues to serve in that position until
  removed by the regional presiding judge.
         SECTION 5.  Except as otherwise provided by this Act, 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 on the
  91st day after the last day of the legislative session.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1893 passed the Senate on
  May 4, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; and that the
  Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2017, by the
  following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1893 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 22, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 145,
  Nays 1, one present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor