73R331 MLR-F
          By Stiles                                              H.B. No. 567
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the appointment of criminal law masters in Jefferson
    1-3  County.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Sections 54.202(a), (b), and (d), Government
    1-6  Code, are amended to read as follows:
    1-7        (a)  The judge of a court subject to this subchapter may
    1-8  appoint one or more masters <a master> to perform the duties
    1-9  authorized by this subchapter.
   1-10        (b)  To qualify for appointment as a master, a person must be
   1-11  licensed to practice law in Texas.  <A master must be:>
   1-12              <(1)  a magistrate, as that term is defined by Article
   1-13  2.09, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1965, of the county; and>
   1-14              <(2)  licensed to practice law in this state.>
   1-15        (d)  A person appointed to serve as master is entitled to be
   1-16  paid an amount set by the court that may not exceed the amount paid
   1-17  for indigent trial representation pursuant to Article 26.05, Code
   1-18  of Criminal Procedure.  The commissioners court shall pay the
   1-19  salary from funds appropriated by the commissioners court for
   1-20  indigent criminal representation.  <A magistrate who is appointed
   1-21  to serve as a master is not entitled to receive additional
   1-22  compensation for serving as a master.>
   1-23        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-5  passage, and it is so enacted.