SB2878 - 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, mandatory expunction for certain persons, record retention, and youth diversion; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing fees.

      S.B. No. 2878         AN ACT   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, mandatory expunction for certain   persons, record retention, and youth diversion; increasing a   criminal penalty; authorizing fees.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:   ARTICLE 1.  DISTRICT COURTS, DISTRICT CLERKS, AND DISTRICT   ATTORNEYS          SECTION 1.01.  Effective January 1, 2027, the heading to   Section 24.127, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:          Sec. 24.127.   522ND  [ SECOND 25TH ] JUDICIAL DISTRICT   ([ COLORADO, ] GONZALES AND [ , ] GUADALUPE[ , AND LAVACA ] COUNTIES).          SECTION 1.02.  Effective January 1, 2027, Section 24.127(a),   Government Code, is amended to read as follows:          (a)  The 522nd [ Second 25th ] Judicial District is composed of   [ Colorado, ] Gonzales and [ , ] Guadalupe[ , and Lavaca ] counties.          SECTION 1.03.  Section 24.360, Government Code, is amended   to read as follows:          Sec. 24.360.  173RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HENDERSON COUNTY).   (a) The 173rd Judicial District is composed of Henderson County.           (b)     The 173rd District Court shall give preference to civil   and family law matters.          SECTION 1.04.  Effective January 1, 2026, the heading to   Section 24.451, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:          Sec. 24.451.  274TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (COMAL[ , GUADALUPE, ]   AND HAYS COUNTIES).          SECTION 1.05.  Effective January 1, 2026, Sections 24.451(a)   and (c), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  The 274th Judicial District is composed of Comal[ ,   Guadalupe, ] and Hays counties.          (c)  The 274th District Court has the same jurisdiction as   the 22nd and the 207th district courts in Comal and Hays counties   [ and concurrent jurisdiction with the 25th and Second 25th district   courts in Guadalupe County ].          SECTION 1.06.  Section 24.537, Government Code, is amended   by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:           (c)     The 392nd District Court shall give preference to   criminal cases.          SECTION 1.07.  Section 24.591(c), Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (c)   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 [ 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 ].          SECTION 1.08.  (a)  Effective September 1, 2026, Subchapter   C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is amended by adding Section   24.60035 to read as follows:           Sec.   24.60035.     490TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (BRAZORIA COUNTY).     The 490th Judicial District is composed of Brazoria County.          (b)  The 490th Judicial District is created on September 1,   2026.          SECTION 1.09.  (a) Effective September 1, 2026, Subchapter   C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is amended by adding Section   24.60037 to read as follows:           Sec.   24.60037.     492ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT (COLORADO AND LAVACA   COUNTIES). The 492nd Judicial District is composed of Colorado and   Lavaca counties.          (b)  The 492nd Judicial District is created on September 1,   2026.          SECTION 1.10.  Section 24.60043(d), Government Code, as   effective October 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:          (d)   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 [ 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 ].          SECTION 1.11.  (a)  Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government   Code, is amended by adding Sections 24.60046 and 24.60047 to read as   follows:           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.          (b)  The 501st and 502nd Judicial Districts are created on   September 1, 2025.          SECTION 1.12.  (a)  Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government   Code, is amended by adding Section 24.60048 to read as follows:           Sec.   24.60048.     503RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT (ROCKWALL COUNTY).     The 503rd Judicial District is composed of Rockwall County.          (b)  The 503rd Judicial District is created on September 1,   2025.          SECTION 1.13.  (a)  Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government   Code, is amended by adding Section 24.60049 to read as follows:           Sec.   24.60049.     504TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (ELLIS COUNTY).   The   504th Judicial District is composed of Ellis County.          (b)  The 504th Judicial District is created on September 1,   2025.          SECTION 1.14.  (a)  Effective September 1, 2026, Subchapter   C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is amended by adding Section   24.60053 to read as follows:           Sec.   24.60053.     511TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (COMAL COUNTY). The   511th Judicial District is composed of Comal County.          (b)  The 511th Judicial District is created on September 1,   2026.          SECTION 1.15.  (a)  Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government   Code, is amended by adding Section 24.60054 to read as follows:           Sec.   24.60054.     512TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (WILLIAMSON   COUNTY).   The 512th Judicial District is composed of Williamson   County.          (b)  The 512th Judicial District is created on September 1,   2025.          SECTION 1.16.  (a)  Effective October 1, 2025, Subchapter C,   Chapter 24, Government Code, is amended by adding Sections   24.60055, 24.60056, and 24.60057 to read as follows:           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.          (b)  The 513th, 514th, and 515th District Courts are created   on October 1, 2025.          SECTION 1.17.  (a)  Effective October 1, 2026, Subchapter C,   Chapter 24, Government Code, is amended by adding Sections 24.60058   and 24.60059 to read as follows:           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.          (b)  The 516th and 517th District Courts are created on   October 1, 2026.          SECTION 1.18.  Section 24.911, Government Code, is amended   by adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows:           (a-2)     Tarrant County Criminal District Court No.   2 shall   give preference to criminal cases.          SECTION 1.19.  Section 24.913, Government Code, is amended   by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:           (e)     Tarrant County Criminal District Court No.   4 shall give   preference to criminal cases.          SECTION 1.20.  Effective September 1, 2028, Section 43.101,   Government Code, is amended to read as follows:          Sec. 43.101.  1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT. The voters of [ Sabine   and ] San Augustine County  [ counties ] elect a district attorney for   the 1st Judicial District who represents the state in the [ that ]   district courts in that county [ court only in those counties ].          SECTION 1.21.  (a)  Effective January 1, 2029, Subchapter B,   Chapter 43, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 43.1742   to read as follows:           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.          (b)  The office of district attorney for the 273rd Judicial   District is created on September 1, 2028.          SECTION 1.22.  Effective January 1, 2029, Section 43.177,   Government Code, is amended to read as follows:          Sec. 43.177.  293RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT. (a) The voters of   Maverick County [ the 293rd Judicial District ] elect a district   attorney who represents the state in all cases before the  [ that ]   district court.          (b)  The commissioners court of Maverick County [ one or more   of the counties comprising the district ] may supplement the state   salary of the district attorney and [ .   The commissioners court of   each county may ] set the amount of supplemental compensation paid   by that county.           (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.          SECTION 1.23.  (a)  Effective January 1, 2029, Subchapter B,   Chapter 43, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 43.1812   to read as follows:           Sec.   43.1812.     365TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT.   The [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]