H.B. No. 2559

AN ACT

relating to the persons authorized to administer an oath in this state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 602.002, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 602.002. OATH MADE IN TEXAS. An oath made in this state may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by:

(1) a judge, retired judge, or clerk of a municipal court;

(2) a judge, retired judge, senior judge, clerk, or commissioner of a court of record;

(3) a justice of the peace, a retired justice of the peace, or a clerk of a justice court;

(4) an associate judge, magistrate, master, referee, or criminal law hearing officer;

(5) a notary public;

(6) a member of a board or commission created by a law of this state, in a matter pertaining to a duty of the board or commission;

(7) a person employed by the Texas Ethics Commission who has a duty related to a report required by Title 15, Election Code, in a matter pertaining to that duty;

(8) a county tax assessor-collector or an employee of the county tax assessor-collector if the oath relates to a document that is required or authorized to be filed in the office of the county tax assessor-collector;

(9) the secretary of state or a former secretary of state;

(10) an employee of a personal bond office, or an employee of a county, who is employed to obtain information required to be obtained under oath if the oath is required or authorized by Article 17.04 or by Article 26.04(n) or (o), Code of Criminal Procedure;

(11) the lieutenant governor or a former lieutenant governor;

(12) the speaker of the house of representatives or a former speaker of the house of representatives;

(13) the governor or a former governor;

(14) a legislator or retired legislator;

(14-a) the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house of representatives;

(15) the attorney general or a former attorney general;

(16) the comptroller of public accounts or a former comptroller of public accounts;

(17) the secretary or clerk of a municipality in a matter pertaining to the official business of the municipality;

(18) [(17)] a peace officer described by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, if:

(A) the oath is administered when the officer is engaged in the performance of the officer's duties; and

(B) the administration of the oath relates to the officer's duties; or

(19) [(18)] a county treasurer.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 2559 was passed by the House on April 20, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 5, 2 present, not voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2559 on May 23, 2023, and requested the appointment of a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 2559 on May 28, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 6, 2 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 2559 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 9, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 2559 on May 27, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________

Date

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Governor