1-1  By:  Turner                                            S.B. No. 387
    1-2        (In the Senate - Filed January 31, 1995; January 31, 1995,
    1-3  read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental
    1-4  Relations; February 15, 1995, reported favorably by the following
    1-5  vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; February 15, 1995, sent to printer.)
    1-6                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-7                                AN ACT
    1-8  relating to authorizing certain counties to maintain a branch
    1-9  courthouse outside the county seat and permitting certain
   1-10  governmental entities to conduct certain functions at that
   1-11  facility.
   1-12        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-13        SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 292, Local Government Code,
   1-14  is amended by adding Section 292.0231 to read as follows:
   1-15        Sec. 292.0231.  FACILITIES IN COUNTIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER
   1-16  30,000.  (a)  This section applies only to a county with a
   1-17  population of less than 30,000.
   1-18        (b)  The commissioners court of a county may provide for,
   1-19  operate, and maintain a branch courthouse outside the county seat.
   1-20  The commissioners court may provide for a branch courthouse by
   1-21  constructing a building or by purchasing, renting, or leasing
   1-22  office space.  The expense of operating and maintaining the branch
   1-23  courthouse must be paid from county funds used to operate and
   1-24  maintain other county buildings.
    2-1        (c)  If the branch courthouse is in a county-owned building,
    2-2  the commissioners court:
    2-3              (1)  has care and custody of the building;
    2-4              (2)  may operate and maintain the building as it
    2-5  operates and maintains the county courthouse; and
    2-6              (3)  may limit the use and maintenance of the building
    2-7  as it finds necessary.
    2-8        (d)  On approval of the commissioners court, an office, a
    2-9  department, a facility, a court, or another agency of the county or
   2-10  of a judicial district may:
   2-11              (1)  maintain a branch office in the branch courthouse;
   2-12  and
   2-13              (2)  conduct any function at the branch courthouse that
   2-14  the entity is authorized to conduct at the courthouse located
   2-15  inside the county seat.
   2-16        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-17  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-18  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-19  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-20  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
   2-21                               * * * * *