HB 244 — Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government, including court security, court documents and arrest warrants, document delivery, juvenile boards, constitutional amendment election challenges, record retention, youth diversion, court-ordered mental health services, the powers of the Texas Supreme Court, and jurors; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing fees.

Bill Text

Compared against the Texas statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 31 section(s) of the Texas statutes: Section 24.127, Government Code, Section 24.127(a), Government Code, Section 24.360, Government Code, Section 24.451, Government Code, Section 24.537, Government Code, Section 24.591(c), Government Code.

• Section 24.127, Government Code

  SECOND 25TH COLORADO, , , AND LAVACA → 522ND AND

  amended

• Section 24.127(a), Government Code

  Second 25th Colorado, , , and Lavaca → 522nd and

  amended

• Section 24.360, Government Code

  (a) (b) The 173rd District Court shall give preference to civil and family law matters.

  amended

• Section 24.451, Government Code

  , GUADALUPE,

  amended

• , Guadalupe, and concurrent jurisdiction with the 25th and Second 25th district courts in Guadalupe County

  amended

• Section 24.537, Government Code

  (c) The 392nd District Court shall give preference to criminal cases.

  amended

• Section 24.591(c), Government Code

  All civil and criminal matters within the concurrent jurisdiction of the county and district courts must be filed with the county clerk in the county court. The county clerk serves as the clerk of the district court for those matters → The district clerk serves as clerk of a district court in all criminal and civil matters, including family matters, except the county clerk serves as clerk of a district court in Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases, juvenile matters, probate matters, and guardianship matters. Each clerk shall establish a separate docket for a district court

  amended

• Sec. 24.60035. 490TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (BRAZORIA COUNTY). The 490th Judicial District is composed of Brazoria County.

  added

• Sec. 24.60037. 492ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT (COLORADO AND LAVACA COUNTIES). The 492nd Judicial District is composed of Colorado and Lavaca counties.

  added

• Section 24.60043(d), Government Code

  All civil and criminal matters within the concurrent jurisdiction of the county and district courts must be filed with the county clerk in the county court. The county clerk serves as the clerk of the district court for those matters → The district clerk serves as the clerk of a district court in all criminal and civil matters, including family matters, except the county clerk serves as the clerk of a district court in Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases, juvenile matters, probate matters, and guardianship matters. Each clerk shall establish a separate docket for a district court

  amended

• Sec. 24.60046. 501ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT (FORT BEND COUNTY). The 501st Judicial District is composed of Fort Bend County. Sec. 24.60047. 502ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT (FORT BEND COUNTY). The 502nd Judicial District is composed of Fort Bend County.

  amended

• Section 24.60048

  Sec. 24.60048. 503RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT (ROCKWALL COUNTY). The 503rd Judicial District is composed of Rockwall County.

  added

• Section 24.60049

  Sec. 24.60049. 504TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (ELLIS COUNTY). The 504th Judicial District is composed of Ellis County.

  added

• Sec. 24.60053. 511TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (COMAL COUNTY). The 511th Judicial District is composed of Comal County.

  added

• Section 24.60054

  Sec. 24.60054. 512TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (WILLIAMSON COUNTY). The 512th Judicial District is composed of Williamson County.

  added

• Sec. 24.60055. 513TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). (a) The 513th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. (b) The 513th District Court shall give preference to civil cases. Sec. 24.60056. 514TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). (a) The 514th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. (b) The 514th District Court shall give preference to civil cases. Sec. 24.60057. 515TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). (a) The 515th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. (b) The 515th District Court shall give preference to civil cases.

  amended

• Sec. 24.60058. 516TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). (a) The 516th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. (b) The 516th District Court shall give preference to civil cases. Sec. 24.60059. 517TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). (a) The 517th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. (b) The 517th District Court shall give preference to civil cases.

  amended

• Section 24.911, Government Code

  (a-2) Tarrant County Criminal District Court No. 2 shall give preference to criminal cases.

  amended

• Section 24.913, Government Code

  (e) Tarrant County Criminal District Court No. 4 shall give preference to criminal cases.

  amended

• Section 43.101, Government Code

  Sabine and counties that court only in those counties → County the courts in that county

  amended

• Section 43.1742, Government Code

  Sec. 43.1742. 273RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT. The voters of Sabine County elect a district attorney for the 273rd Judicial District who represents the state in the district courts in that county.

  added

• Section 43.177, Government Code

  the 293rd Judicial District that one or more of the counties comprising the district . The commissioners court of each county may → Maverick County the Maverick County and (c) The district attorney of the 293rd Judicial District also represents the state in all criminal and civil matters that arise in the 365th Judicial District in Maverick County.

  amended

• Section 43.1812, Government Code

  Sec. 43.1812. 365TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT. The voters of Dimmit and Zavala Counties elect a district attorney for the 365th Judicial District who represents the state in all civil and criminal matters in the district courts having jurisdiction in those counties.

  added

• Section 46.002, Government Code

  273rd, Fayette,

  amended

• mail $250,000 → provide $325,000

  amended

• Section 25.0003(c), Government Code

  $250,000 → $325,000

  amended

• Section 25.0007(c), Government Code

  $250,000 → $325,000

  amended

• Section 25.00212, Government Code

  by that sum state deposited in → : (1) under Section 133.151(c)(1), Local Government Code, from fees remitted under Section 133.151(a)(1), Local Government Code, either: (A) directly to the treasury by the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System for fees paid using the electronic filing system established under Section 72.031; or (B) to the comptroller in the manner provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 133, Local Government Code, for fees paid to an officer of a court; (2) (a-1) comptroller determines the as calculated under Subsection (a)(1) the sum calculated under Subsection (a)(2) comptroller contributed to from fees collected a

  amended

• Section 25.0022(f), Government Code

  collected pursuant to 118.052(2)(A)(vi) to it → allocated to the judicial education and support fund under 135.102

  amended

• Section 25.0062(b), Government Code

  $250,000 → $325,000

  amended

• Section 25.0092, Government Code

  and a total annual salary set by the commissioners court at an amount that is not less than $1,000 less than the total annual salary received by a district judge in the county. A district judge's or statutory county court judge's total annual salary does not include contributions and supplements paid by a county → ; and (6) civil cases in which the matter in controversy exceeds the maximum amount provided by Section 25.0003 but does not exceed $1 million, excluding interest, statutory or punitive damages and penalties, and attorney's fees and costs, as alleged on the face of the petition, including: (A) a suit to decide the issue of title to real or personal property; (B) a suit for the enforcement of a lien on real property; (C) a suit for the trial of the right to property valued at $500 or more that has been levied on under a writ of execution, sequestration, or attachment; and (D) a suit for the recovery of real property (c-1) In addition to other assignments provided by law, a judge of the county court at law in Atascosa County is subject to assignment under Chapter 74 to any district court in Atascosa County. A county court at law judge assigned to a district court may hear any matter pending in the district court. as provided by Section 25.0005

  amended

• Section 25.0212, Government Code

  $200,000 commissioners court may authorize the judge of a county court at law to set the reporter's salary → , including concurrent jurisdiction in: (1) specialty court programs; (2) misdemeanor cases; (3) family law cases and proceedings, including juvenile matters; and (4) probate and guardianship matters the amount provided in Section 25.0003 reporter of a county court at law is entitled to compensation, fees, and allowances in amounts equal to the amounts paid to the official court reporters serving the district courts in Bowie County, including an annual salary set by the judge of the county court at law and approved by the commissioners court (i) The jury in all civil or criminal matters is composed of 12 members, except in misdemeanor criminal cases and any other case in which the court has concurrent jurisdiction with county courts under Section 25.0003(a), the jury is composed of six members. (j) In matters of concurrent jurisdiction, a judge of a county court at law and a judge of a district court with jurisdiction in Bowie County may transfer cases between the courts in the same manner that judges of district courts may transfer cases under Section 24.003.

  amended

• Section 25.1031(a), Government Code

  and → ; and (5) County Civil Court at Law No. 5 of Harris County, Texas

  amended

• Section 25.1101(b), Government Code

  one statutory probate court, the → the following statutory probate courts: (1) No. 1 ; and (2) Probate Court No. 2 of Hidalgo County

  amended

• Section 25.1102(a), Government Code

  in which the matter in controversy does not exceed $750,000, excluding interest, statutory or punitive damages and penalties, and attorney's fees and costs, as alleged on the page of the petition

  amended

• Section 25.1902(b-1), Government Code

  County Court at Law No. 1 of has → county courts at law in have

  amended

• Section 25.2282, Government Code

  (b) In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and other law, a county court at law in Tom Green County has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases and proceedings.

  amended

• and ; or (3) a civil case, other than a case under the Family Code or the Estates Code, in which the amount in controversy is: (A) less than the maximum amount in controversy allowed the justice court in Wichita County; or (B) more than $200,000, exclusive of punitive or exemplary damages, penalties, interest, costs, and attorney's fees (d)(3)(B) → proceedings under the Estates Code, in which the amount in controversy exceeds $500 but does not exceed $200,000, excluding interest, exemplary damages, penalties, attorney's fees, and court costs; and (3) appeals from the justice courts or (c)(2)

  amended

• Section 25.2704(a), Government Code

  except → including maximum

  amended

• Section 29.014, Government Code

  may → , including by developing a court emergency management plan shall (e) Notwithstanding Section 551.001 or 552.003, a court security committee established under this section is not a governmental body for the purposes of Chapter 551 or 552.

  amended

Action History

1. July 31, 2025

   Filed

Sponsors

• Jeff Leach · Primary

Subjects