A new bill authored by State Rep. Don McLaughlin in the Texas House seeks to expand the jurisdiction and operational scope of the County Court at Law in Atascosa County, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on Courts category, introduced as HB 93 during the 89(1) legislative session on Monday, July 14, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the jurisdiction and operation of the County Court at Law in Atascosa County’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill modifies the jurisdiction and operation of the County Court at Law in Atascosa County, Texas, expanding its concurrent jurisdiction with the district court to include Class A and B misdemeanor cases, family and juvenile law matters, probate matters, appeals from justice and municipal courts and civil cases with controversies exceeding the amount specified in Section 25.0003 but not exceeding $1 million, excluding interests and fees. A county court judge can be assigned to any district court within the county and hear pending matters. Judges will be compensated according to Section 25.0005. The amendments apply to cases filed or proceedings initiated on or after the bill’s effective date, which is 91 days post-legislative session. Cases filed before the effective date will be governed by the laws in effect at their filing.
Don McLaughlin, a member of the House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock, proposed another 25 bills during the 89(1) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB 5600 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to incentives for the development of the clean hydrogen industry in this state, including tax benefits, loans, and grants for clean hydrogen projects, clean hydrogen workforce development, hydrogen powered motor vehicles, and certain items used to produce clean hydrogen |
| HB 4476 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the waiver of jurisdiction by a juvenile court for certain children who are accused of committing certain offenses involving the use or exhibition of a firearm, the mandatory transfer of jurisdiction for those children to a criminal court, and an order of expunction issued with respect to those offenses |
| HB 4416 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to disorderly or threatening behavior and measures by public schools and institutions of higher education to prevent that behavior; increasing criminal penalties; creating a criminal offense |
| HB 4341 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to critical infrastructure facility emergency response maps and the critical infrastructure emergency response map grant program |
| HB 4255 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the regulation of physicians and the disciplinary authority of the Texas Medical Board |
| HB 4186 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain physicians employed as county medical examiners |
| HB 3793 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to procedures for a commissioners court to close, abandon, or vacate certain county roads |
| HB 3781 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the provision of financial assistance by the Texas Water Development Board for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas |
| HB 3587 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to firearm safety instruction in public schools and certain private schools |
| HB 3586 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to the authority of a taxing unit to enter into an agreement under the Property Redevelopment and Tax Abatement Act to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the value of property on which a solar power facility is located or is planned to be located |
| HB 3580 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to renewable energy generation facilities |
| HB 3578 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to the authority of a county that borders the United Mexican States to regulate residential land use; creating a criminal offense |
| HB 3573 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to certain prohibited considerations in contracting by governmental entities and the elimination of the state’s historically underutilized business program |
| HB 33 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to active shooter incidents at primary and secondary school facilities and other emergencies |
| HB 3310 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to the authority of certain counties to adopt noise regulations; creating a criminal offense; authorizing fees |
| HB 3278 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to the study of and incentives for the use of solar and wind energy |
| HB 3104 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to the appointment and compensation of a bailiff appointed by the judges of certain district courts in Webb County |
| HB 3075 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to a prohibition on the provision of state money to entities that promote certain ideological programs and the establishment of a division in the Legislative Budget Board to ensure such entities do not receive state money; authorizing the imposition of a civil penalty |
| HB 3009 | 02/19/2025 | Relating to the qualifying offenses and related information included in the Department of Public Safety’s computerized central database of offenders who have committed certain violent offenses |
| HB 2965 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to the applicability of a hotel occupancy tax in and the use of hotel occupancy tax revenue by certain counties |
| HB 2956 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to a central database containing information about certain persons who have been convicted of or received a grant of deferred adjudication community supervision for certain offenses involving family violence and related notice requirements; creating a criminal offense |
| HB 2947 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to truancy and the offense of a parent contributing to nonattendance |
| HB 2776 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to the criminal and licensing consequences for the commission of certain offenses by massage establishments, massage schools, massage therapists, and massage therapy instructors |
| HB 2661 | 02/11/2025 | Relating to the jurisdiction and operation of the County Court at Law in Atascosa County |
| HB 2660 | 02/11/2025 | Relating to the requirement to obtain certification and continuing education for certain public information officers |
