By: Harris, Chris S.B. No. 354
73R4270 RJA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the appointment of bailiffs for the 371st District
1-3 Court.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 53.001(a), Government Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 (a) The judges of the 22nd, 30th, 70th, 71st, 78th, 89th,
1-8 161st, and 341st district courts, the judges of the district courts
1-9 having jurisdiction in Taylor County, the judges of the county
1-10 courts at law of Taylor County, and the judge of the County Court
1-11 of Harrison County shall each appoint a bailiff. The judges
1-12 <judge> of the 297th and 371st district courts <District Court>
1-13 shall appoint two persons to serve as bailiffs and one person to
1-14 serve as grand jury bailiff.
1-15 SECTION 2. Section 53.001(e), Government Code, is amended to
1-16 read as follows:
1-17 (e) The county sheriff shall appoint one bailiff for the
1-18 297th District Court and one bailiff for the 371st District Court
1-19 in the same manner as authorized by law.
1-20 SECTION 3. Section 53.003(b), Government Code, is amended to
1-21 read as follows:
1-22 (b) The judge of each court listed in Sections 53.001(d),
1-23 53.002(a), 53.002(c), and 53.002(e) and the judges of the 297th,
1-24 <and> 341st, and 371st district courts shall give each
2-1 commissioners court in the judicial district written notification
2-2 of the bailiff's or grand jury bailiff's appointment and date of
2-3 employment. The judge of each court listed in Section 53.002(c)
2-4 and the judges <judge> of the 297th and 371st district courts
2-5 <District Court> shall also give each commissioners court written
2-6 notification of the compensation to be paid by the county.
2-7 SECTION 4. Section 53.004(b), Government Code, is amended to
2-8 read as follows:
2-9 (b) To be eligible to be appointed bailiff in the 30th,
2-10 78th, 86th, 89th, 97th, 142nd, 238th, 318th, or 341st district
2-11 court, the County Court of Harrison County, a court described in
2-12 Section 53.002(c), a district court in Taylor County, a county
2-13 court at law of Taylor County, or bailiff or grand jury bailiff in
2-14 the 297th or 371st district court <District Court>, a person must
2-15 be a resident of the county in which the person serves the court
2-16 and must be at least 21 years old.
2-17 SECTION 5. Section 53.006(c), Government Code, is amended to
2-18 read as follows:
2-19 (c) A bailiff or grand jury bailiff appointed under Section
2-20 53.001(d), 53.002(a), 53.002(c), or 53.002(e) or by the judges of
2-21 the 297th, <and> 341st, and 371st district courts has only the
2-22 duties assigned by the judge of the court that the bailiff or grand
2-23 jury bailiff serves.
2-24 SECTION 6. Section 53.007(a), Government Code, is amended to
2-25 read as follows:
2-26 (a) This section applies to:
2-27 (1) the 22nd, 34th, 70th, 71st, 86th, 97th, 142nd,
3-1 161st, 238th, 297th, 318th, <and> 341st, and 371st district courts;
3-2 (2) the County Court of Harrison County;
3-3 (3) the criminal district courts of Tarrant County;
3-4 (4) the district courts in Taylor County;
3-5 (5) the courts described in Section 53.002(c),
3-6 53.002(d), or 53.002(e); and
3-7 (6) the county courts at law of Taylor County.
3-8 SECTION 7. Section 53.007(c), Government Code, is amended to
3-9 read as follows:
3-10 (c) A request under this section by a judge of a court
3-11 listed in Section 53.001(d), 53.002(a), 53.002(c), or 53.002(e), by
3-12 the judges of the 297th, <and> 341st, and 371st district courts, by
3-13 the judge of a district court in Taylor County, or by the judge of
3-14 a county court at law of Taylor County must be in writing.
3-15 SECTION 8. Section 53.008, Government Code, is amended to
3-16 read as follows:
3-17 Sec. 53.008. Oath. The bailiffs of the 22nd, 34th, 70th,
3-18 86th, 97th, 142nd, 161st, 238th, 297th, 318th, <and> 341st, and
3-19 371st district courts, the bailiffs of the courts described in
3-20 Section 53.002(c), 53.002(d), or 53.002(e), the grand jury bailiff
3-21 of the 297th or 371st district court <District Court>, the bailiffs
3-22 of the district courts in Taylor County, and the bailiffs of the
3-23 county courts at law of Taylor County shall each swear to the
3-24 following oath, to be administered by the judge: "I solemnly swear
3-25 that I will faithfully and impartially perform all duties as may be
3-26 required of me by law, so help me God."
3-27 SECTION 9. Section 53.009(f), Government Code, is amended to
4-1 read as follows:
4-2 (f) The bailiffs and grand jury bailiff appointed by the
4-3 judges <judge> of the 297th and 371st district courts <District
4-4 Court> are entitled to receive from the county general fund a
4-5 salary set in writing by the judge.
4-6 SECTION 10. The importance of this legislation and the
4-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.