HB 1328

relating to the referral of certain criminal proceedings in the
Texas-Mexico border region to an associate judge and reimbursement
requests for all or part of an associate judge's or interpreter's
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 54A.004, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d)  The commissioners court of a county located in the
Texas-Mexico border region, as defined by Section 2056.002, may
submit a request to the Texas Judicial Council for reimbursement of
all or part of the salary paid to an associate judge to whom judges
in the county give preference when referring cases under Section
54A.006(a-1) to be paid from money appropriated to the council for
border security purposes.  The council may adopt rules to implement
SECTION 2.  Section 54A.006, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1)  A judge whose jurisdiction includes a county located
in the Texas-Mexico border region, as defined by Section 2056.002,
may refer to an associate judge who serves a county located in the
region any matter arising out of a criminal case involving alleged
conduct constituting a criminal trespass offense under Section
30.05, Penal Code, by a person not lawfully present in the United
SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 57, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 57.003 to read as follows:
Sec. 57.003.  COMPENSATION.  The commissioners court of a
county located in the Texas-Mexico border region, as defined by
Section 2056.002, may submit a request to the Texas Judicial
Council for reimbursement of all or part of the salary paid to an
interpreter for services rendered in a case referred under Section
54A.006(a-1) to be paid from money appropriated to the council for
border security purposes.  The council may adopt rules to implement
SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.