By Lewis of Tarrant H.B. No. 1420
74R4817 MLR-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the appointment of bailiffs for the district courts in
1-3 Tarrant County that give preference to criminal cases.
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 district courts in Tarrant County that give
1-13 preference to criminal cases <297th District Court> shall appoint
1-14 two persons to serve as bailiffs and one person to serve as grand
1-15 jury bailiff.
1-16 SECTION 2. Section 53.001(e), Government Code, is amended to
1-17 read as follows:
1-18 (e) The county sheriff shall appoint one bailiff for each of
1-19 the district courts in Tarrant County that give preference to
1-20 criminal cases <297th District Court> in the same manner as
1-21 authorized by law.
1-22 SECTION 3. Section 53.003(b), Government Code, is amended to
1-23 read as follows:
1-24 (b) The judge of each court listed in Sections 53.001(d),
2-1 53.002(a), 53.002(c), and 53.002(e), <and> the judge <judges> of
2-2 the <297th and> 341st District Court, and the judges of the
2-3 district courts in Tarrant County that give preference to criminal
2-4 cases shall give each commissioners court in the judicial district
2-5 written notification of the bailiff's or grand jury bailiff's
2-6 appointment and date of employment. The judge of each court listed
2-7 in Section 53.002(c) and the judges <judge> of the district courts
2-8 in Tarrant County that give preference to criminal cases <297th
2-9 District Court> shall also give each commissioners court written
2-10 notification of the compensation to be paid by the county.
2-11 SECTION 4. Section 53.004(b), Government Code, is amended to
2-12 read as follows:
2-13 (b) To be eligible to be appointed bailiff in the 30th,
2-14 78th, 86th, 89th, 97th, or 341st district court, the County Court
2-15 of Harrison County, a court described in Section 53.002(c), a
2-16 district court in Taylor County, a county court at law of Taylor
2-17 County, or bailiff or grand jury bailiff in the district courts in
2-18 Tarrant County that give preference to criminal cases <297th
2-19 District Court>, a person must be a resident of the county in which
2-20 the person serves the court and must be at least 21 years old.
2-21 SECTION 5. Section 53.006(c), Government Code, is amended to
2-22 read as follows:
2-23 (c) A bailiff or grand jury bailiff appointed under Section
2-24 53.001(d), 53.002(a), 53.002(c), or 53.002(e), <or> by the judge
2-25 <judges> of the <297th and> 341st District Court, or by the judges
2-26 of the district courts in Tarrant County that give preference to
2-27 criminal cases has only the duties assigned by the judge of the
3-1 court that the bailiff or grand jury bailiff serves.
3-2 SECTION 6. Section 53.007(a), Government Code, is amended to
3-3 read as follows:
3-4 (a) This section applies to:
3-5 (1) the 22nd, 34th, 70th, 71st, 86th, 97th, 142nd,
3-6 161st, 238th, <297th,> 318th, 341st, and 355th district courts;
3-7 (2) the district courts in Tarrant County that give
3-8 preference to criminal cases;
3-9 (3) the County Court of Harrison County;
3-10 (4) <(3)> the criminal district courts of Tarrant
3-11 County;
3-12 (5) <(4)> the district courts in Taylor County;
3-13 (6) <(5)> the courts described in Section 53.002(c),
3-14 53.002(d), or 53.002(e); and
3-15 (7) <(6)> the county courts at law of Taylor County.
3-16 SECTION 7. Section 53.007(c), Government Code, is amended to
3-17 read as follows:
3-18 (c) A request under this section by a judge of a court
3-19 listed in Section 53.001(d), 53.002(a), 53.002(c), or 53.002(e), by
3-20 the judge <judges> of the <297th and> 341st District Court, by a
3-21 judge of a district court in Tarrant County that gives preference
3-22 to criminal cases <courts>, by the judge of a district court in
3-23 Taylor County, or by the judge of a county court at law of Taylor
3-24 County must be in writing.
3-25 SECTION 8. Section 53.008, Government Code, is amended to
3-26 read as follows:
3-27 Sec. 53.008. Oath. The bailiffs of the 22nd, 34th, 70th,
4-1 86th, 97th, 142nd, 161st, 238th, <297th,> 318th, 341st, and 355th
4-2 district courts, the bailiffs of the courts described in Section
4-3 53.002(c), 53.002(d), or 53.002(e), the bailiffs or the grand jury
4-4 bailiffs <bailiff> of the district courts in Tarrant County that
4-5 give preference to criminal cases <297th District Court>, the
4-6 bailiffs of the district courts in Taylor County, and the bailiffs
4-7 of the county courts at law of Taylor County shall each swear to
4-8 the following oath, to be administered by the judge: "I solemnly
4-9 swear that I will faithfully and impartially perform all duties as
4-10 may be required of me by law, so help me God."
4-11 SECTION 9. Section 53.009(f), Government Code, is amended to
4-12 read as follows:
4-13 (f) The bailiffs and grand jury bailiffs <bailiff> appointed
4-14 by the judges <judge> of the district courts in Tarrant County that
4-15 give preference to criminal cases <297th District Court> are
4-16 entitled to receive from the county general fund a salary set in
4-17 writing by the judge.
4-18 SECTION 10. The importance of this legislation and the
4-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.