By Brown S.B. No. 534
74R5118 MWV-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the appointment of bailiffs of the district courts and
1-3 county courts at law in Fort Bend County.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 53.001, Government Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
1-7 (h) The judges of the district courts and county courts at
1-8 law having jurisdiction in Fort Bend County shall each appoint a
1-9 bailiff. The local administrative district judge of Fort Bend
1-10 County shall appoint an additional bailiff to serve as supervising
1-11 bailiff of all the bailiffs of the county.
1-12 SECTION 2. Section 53.003(a), Government Code, is amended to
1-13 read as follows:
1-14 (a) An order signed by the appointing judge entered in the
1-15 minutes of the court is evidence of the appointment of a bailiff or
1-16 grand jury bailiff under Section 53.001(a), 53.001(d), 53.001(g),
1-17 53.001(h), 53.002(a), 53.002(c), 53.002(d), or 53.002(e).
1-18 SECTION 3. Section 53.004(e), Government Code, as amended by
1-19 Chapters 385 and 430, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, Regular
1-20 Session, 1993, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:
1-21 (e) To be eligible to be appointed bailiff in a district
1-22 court in Midland County, for the 355th District Court, or under
1-23 Section 53.001(g) or 53.001(h), a person must be at least 21 years
1-24 old and hold a peace officer license under Chapter 415 from the
2-1 Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.
2-2 This subsection does not apply to a person serving as bailiff of a
2-3 court described by Section 53.001(g) on September 1, 1991.
2-4 SECTION 4. Section 53.007(a), Government Code, is amended to
2-5 read as follows:
2-6 (a) This section applies to:
2-7 (1) the 22nd, 34th, 70th, 71st, 86th, 97th, 142nd,
2-8 161st, 238th, 297th, 318th, 341st, and 355th district courts;
2-9 (2) the County Court of Harrison County;
2-10 (3) the criminal district courts of Tarrant County;
2-11 (4) the district courts in Taylor County;
2-12 (5) the courts described in Section 53.001(h),
2-13 53.002(c), 53.002(d), or 53.002(e); and
2-14 (6) the county courts at law of Taylor County.
2-15 SECTION 5. Section 53.0071, Government Code, as amended by
2-16 Chapters 401 and 546, Acts of the 72nd Legislature, Regular
2-17 Session, 1991, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:
2-18 Sec. 53.0071. Bailiff as Peace Officer. Unless the
2-19 appointing judge provides otherwise in the order of appointment, a
2-20 bailiff appointed under Section 53.001(b), 53.001(g), 53.001(h),
2-21 53.002(c), or 53.002(e) is a "peace officer" for purposes of
2-22 Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure.
2-23 SECTION 6. Section 53.008, Government Code, is amended to
2-24 read as follows:
2-25 Sec. 53.008. Oath. The bailiffs of the 22nd, 34th, 70th,
2-26 86th, 97th, 142nd, 161st, 238th, 297th, 318th, 341st, and 355th
2-27 district courts, the bailiffs of the courts described in Section
3-1 53.001(h), 53.002(c), 53.002(d), or 53.002(e), the grand jury
3-2 bailiff of the 297th District Court, the bailiffs of the district
3-3 courts in Taylor County, and the bailiffs of the county courts at
3-4 law of Taylor County shall each swear to the following oath, to be
3-5 administered by the judge: "I solemnly swear that I will
3-6 faithfully and impartially perform all duties as may be required of
3-7 me by law, so help me God."
3-8 SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
3-9 SECTION 8. The importance of this legislation and the
3-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.