By Moffat H.B. No. 1966 74R6261 DD-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the use of optical imaging and other electronic means 1-3 for creating records in municipal courts. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article 45.02, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 Art. 45.02. SEAL. (a) The said court shall have a seal 1-8 with a star of five points in the center and the words "Corporation 1-9 Court in ______________ Texas", the impress of which shall be 1-10 attached to all papers issued out of said court except subpoenas, 1-11 and shall be used to authenticate the official acts of the clerk 1-12 and of the recorder. 1-13 (b) A court seal may be created by electronic means, 1-14 including optical imaging, optical disk, or other electronic 1-15 reproduction technique that does not permit additions, changes, or 1-16 deletions to an original document created by the same type of 1-17 system. 1-18 SECTION 2. Chapter 45, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-19 amended by adding Article 45.021 to read as follows: 1-20 Art. 45.021. ELECTRONICALLY CREATED RECORDS. (a) 1-21 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a document that is 1-22 issued by a justice or municipal court may be created by electronic 1-23 means, including optical imaging, optical disk, or other electronic 1-24 reproduction technique that does not permit changes, additions, or 2-1 deletions to the originally created document. 2-2 (b) The court may use electronic means to: 2-3 (1) produce a document required by law to be written; 2-4 or 2-5 (2) record an instrument, paper, or notice that is 2-6 permitted or required by law to be recorded or filed. 2-7 (c) The court shall maintain original documents as provided 2-8 by law. 2-9 (d) A record created by electronic means is an original 2-10 record or a certification of the original record. 2-11 (e) A printed copy of an optical image of the original 2-12 record printed from an optical disk system is an accurate copy of 2-13 the original record. 2-14 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-15 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.