House Bill No. 5060 proposes significant amendments to the Government Code to enhance the operation and administration of the judicial branch in Texas. The bill establishes new judicial districts, specifically the 490th, 491st, 501st, 502nd, 503rd, and 504th Judicial Districts in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Rockwall, and Ellis Counties, with creation dates set between September 1, 2025, and September 1, 2026. It also modifies the jurisdiction of county courts at law in Atascosa, Bowie, and Hidalgo Counties, expanding their concurrent jurisdiction with district courts. Additionally, the bill addresses the assignment of visiting judges, allowing for the appointment of former or retired judges to various courts, and introduces a new subchapter for Bell County to appoint criminal magistrates with defined qualifications.

Moreover, the bill revises qualifications for grand jurors, permanently disqualifying individuals with felony convictions and allowing those aged 75 and older to claim a permanent exemption from service. It mandates the district clerk to maintain lists of disqualified individuals and send these lists to relevant authorities. The bill also establishes a court security committee to develop security policies for the courts and lowers the population threshold for counties to construct parking facilities near courthouses from 150,000 to 40,000. Overall, these amendments aim to streamline judicial processes, enhance court security, and improve the accessibility and efficiency of the judicial system in Texas.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 25.0092, Government Code 25.0212, Government Code 25.1102, Government Code 25.1723, Government Code 25.0022, Government Code 25.002201, Government Code 25.00255, Government Code 659.012, Government Code 62.001, Government Code 62.0132, Government Code 62.102, Government Code 62.106, Government Code 62.107, Government Code 62.108, Government Code 62.109, Government Code 62.113, Government Code 13.007, Government Code 62.115, Government Code 57.002, Government Code 74.092, Local Government Code 615.003 (Government Code 659, Government Code 62, Local Government Code 615, Government Code 13, Government Code 57, Government Code 74, Government Code 25)