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.