By:  McCall                                            H.B. No. 733
       73R927 ESH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the statement of fines and jury fees received by a
    1-3  district clerk.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 51.303, Government Code, is amended to
    1-6  read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 51.303.  Duties and Powers.  (a)  The clerk of a
    1-8  district court has custody of and shall carefully maintain and
    1-9  arrange the records relating to or lawfully deposited in the
   1-10  clerk's office.
   1-11        (b)  The clerk of a district court shall:
   1-12              (1)  record the acts and proceedings of the court;
   1-13              (2)  enter all judgments of the court under the
   1-14  direction of the judge; and
   1-15              (3)  record all executions issued and the returns on
   1-16  the executions.
   1-17        (c)  The district clerk shall keep an index of the parties to
   1-18  all suits filed in the court.  The index must list the parties
   1-19  alphabetically using their full names and must be cross-referenced
   1-20  to the other parties to the suit.  In addition, a reference must be
   1-21  made opposite each name to the minutes on which is entered the
   1-22  judgment in the case.
   1-23        (d)  <On the last day of each term of the court, the district
   1-24  clerk shall make a written statement of fines and jury fees
    2-1  received.  The statement must include the name of the party from
    2-2  whom a fine or jury fee was received, the name of each juror who
    2-3  served during the term, the number of days served, and the amount
    2-4  due the juror for the services.  The statement shall be recorded in
    2-5  the minutes of the court after it is approved and signed by the
    2-6  presiding judge.>
    2-7        <(e)>  The clerk of a district court may:
    2-8              (1)  take the depositions of witnesses; and
    2-9              (2)  perform other duties imposed on the clerk by law.
   2-10        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   2-11        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-12  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-13  emergency   and   an   imperative   public   necessity   that   the
   2-14  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-15  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.