By Turner S.B. No. 387 74R3634 PAM-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to authorizing certain counties to maintain a branch 1-3 courthouse outside the county seat and permitting certain 1-4 governmental entities to conduct certain functions at that 1-5 facility. 1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-7 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 292, Local Government Code, 1-8 is amended by adding Section 292.0231 to read as follows: 1-9 Sec. 292.0231. FACILITIES IN COUNTIES WITH POPULATIONS UNDER 1-10 30,000. (a) This section applies only to a county with a 1-11 population of less than 30,000. 1-12 (b) The commissioners court of a county may provide for, 1-13 operate, and maintain a branch courthouse outside the county seat. 1-14 The commissioners court may provide for a branch courthouse by 1-15 constructing a building or by purchasing, renting, or leasing 1-16 office space. The expense of operating and maintaining the branch 1-17 courthouse must be paid from county funds used to operate and 1-18 maintain other county buildings. 1-19 (c) If the branch courthouse is in a county-owned building, 1-20 the commissioners court: 1-21 (1) has care and custody of the building; 1-22 (2) may operate and maintain the building as it 1-23 operates and maintains the county courthouse; and 1-24 (3) may limit the use and maintenance of the building 2-1 as it finds necessary. 2-2 (d) On approval of the commissioners court, an office, a 2-3 department, a facility, a court, or another agency of the county or 2-4 of a judicial district may: 2-5 (1) maintain a branch office in the branch courthouse; 2-6 and 2-7 (2) conduct any function at the branch courthouse that 2-8 the entity is authorized to conduct at the courthouse located 2-9 inside the county seat. 2-10 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.