SRC-CDH H.B. 1710 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 1710 By: Lewis, Glenn (Harris) Jurisprudence 4-23-97 Engrossed DIGEST Currently, the Government Code requires each criminal court in Tarrant County to have at least three bailiffs assigned regularly to the court, and requires each judge of a criminal district court in that county to appoint two officers of the court to serve as bailiffs. However, there are presently three state district courts in Tarrant County that handle criminal matters which do not possess the appropriate number of bailiffs as prescribed by law, and the 397th District Court in Tarrant County is the only court with a sufficient number of appointed bailiffs. H.B. 1710 provides express authority in statute to hire the prescribed number of bailiffs for efficient court administration of criminal courts in Tarrant County which give preference to criminal cases, in an effort to ensure that these courts have the necessary judicial personnel to handle their respective court dockets and proceedings. In addition, this legislation sets forth procedures, qualifications, eligibility, and method of payment for such mandatory appointments. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 1710 provides for the appointment of bailiffs for the district courts in Tarrant County that give preference to criminal cases. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Sections 53.001(a) and (e), Government Code, to require the judge of each district court in Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal cases, rather than the judge of the 297th District Court, to appoint two persons to serve as bailiffs and one person to serve as grand jury bailiff. Requires the county sheriff to appoint one bailiff for each district court in Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal cases, rather than one bailiff for the 297th District Court, in the same manner as authorized by law. SECTION 2. Amends Section 53.003(b), Government Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 3. Amends Section 53.004(b), Government Code, to make a conforming change. SECTION 4. Amends Section 53.006(c), Government Code, to make a conforming change. SECTION 5. Amends Sections 53.007(a) and (c), Government Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 6. Amends Section 53.008, Government Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 7. Amends Section 53.009(f), Government Code, to make a conforming change. SECTION 8. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 9. Emergency clause.