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House Bill 2617 |
House Author: Guillen |
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Effective: 6-15-07 |
Senate Sponsor: Zaffirini |
House Bill 2617 amends the Government Code to create and establish rules for the municipal courts of record in the City of Laredo. The bill provides that a municipal court of record's presiding officer is a municipal judge, who must be a licensed attorney in the state and a resident of Laredo. A municipal judge is elected at large to a four-year term, is limited to two terms plus the remainder of any unexpired term to which the judge was elected or appointed, and is entitled to the salary provided by ordinance of the governing body of the city. The bill permits the governing body to appoint to the municipal court of record a clerk nominated by the city manager, to authorize the appointment of deputy clerks who may act on behalf of the clerk, and to provide other court personnel, including associate municipal judges. The bill also sets forth the powers and duties of the clerk, whose employment status is equivalent to that of a department director.