Relating to a criminal associate judge in Coke, Concho, Irion, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, and Tom Green Counties.

This bill creates a new position for criminal associate judges in seven West Texas counties (Coke, Concho, Irion, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling, and Tom Green). It allows district judges to appoint full-time or part-time associate judges to handle specific criminal court matters - such as plea negotiations, bond hearings, pretrial motions, and specialty court cases - only if the county commissioners' court authorizes the position. Associate judges must serve under district court rules, with appointments requiring two-thirds judge approval if serving multiple courts. The bill streamlines case processing in rural counties with limited judicial resources but does not change criminal law or sentencing.