SENATE JURISPRUDENCE COMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING IN HOUSTON

HOUSTON - Members of the Senate Jurisprudence Committee met in the Houston City Hall Annex on Thursday, June 18, to discuss issues regarding the Interim charges. The committee is responsible for looking into any possible improvements in areas of judicial selection, judicial districting, and civil court filing fees and fine collection. The members are traveling the state and holding hearings in order to study how these issues regarding the Texas judicial system affect different regions.

The committee's members include Senators Rodney Ellis of Houston as chair, Chris Harris of Arlington, David Cain of Dallas, Robert Duncan of Lubbock, Gregory Luna of San Antonio, Steve Ogden of Bryan, and Jeff Wentworth of San Antonio.

Testimony at Thursday's meeting came from judicial figures, both local and statewide. Witnesses included several Texas Supreme Court Justices, General Counsel for Houston Lighting & Power, and several appellate court justices. Representatives from the Office of Court Administration, State Auditor's office, and Texas Trial Lawyers Association also testified before the committee.

The committee will gather its findings and make any recommendations to the 76th Legislature which convenes in January of next year.

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