By Lewis of Tarrant H.B. No. 1710
75R5739 SAW-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the appointment of bailiffs for the district courts in
1-3 Tarrant County that give preference to criminal cases.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Sections 53.001(a) and (e), Government Code, are
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) The judges of the 22nd, 30th, 70th, 71st, 78th, 89th,
1-8 161st, and 341st district courts, the judges of the district courts
1-9 having jurisdiction in Taylor County, the judges of the county
1-10 courts at law of Taylor County, and the judge of the County Court
1-11 of Harrison County shall each appoint a bailiff. The judge of each
1-12 district court in Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal
1-13 cases [the 297th District Court] shall appoint two persons to serve
1-14 as bailiffs and one person to serve as grand jury bailiff.
1-15 (e) The county sheriff shall appoint one bailiff for each
1-16 district court in Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal
1-17 cases [the 297th District Court] in the same manner as authorized
1-18 by law.
1-19 SECTION 2. Section 53.003(b), Government Code, is amended to
1-20 read as follows:
1-21 (b) The judge of each court listed in Sections 53.001(d) and
1-22 53.002(a), (c), (e), and (f), [and] the judge [judges] of the
1-23 [297th and] 341st District Court, and the judge of each district
1-24 court in Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal cases
2-1 [courts] shall give each commissioners court in the judicial
2-2 district written notification of the bailiff's or grand jury
2-3 bailiff's appointment and date of employment. The judge of each
2-4 court listed in Section 53.002(c) and the judge of each district
2-5 court in Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal cases
2-6 [the 297th District Court] shall also give each commissioners
2-7 court written notification of the compensation to be paid by the
2-8 county.
2-9 SECTION 3. Section 53.004(b), Government Code, is amended to
2-10 read as follows:
2-11 (b) To be eligible to be appointed bailiff in the 30th,
2-12 78th, 86th, 89th, 97th, or 341st district court, the County Court
2-13 of Harrison County, a court described in Section 53.002(c), a
2-14 district court in Taylor County, a county court at law of Taylor
2-15 County, or bailiff or grand jury bailiff in a district court in
2-16 Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal cases [the 297th
2-17 District Court], a person must be a resident of the county in which
2-18 the person serves the court and must be at least 21 years old.
2-19 SECTION 4. Section 53.006(c), Government Code, is amended to
2-20 read as follows:
2-21 (c) A bailiff or grand jury bailiff appointed under Section
2-22 53.001(d) or 53.002(a), (c), (e), or (f), [or] by the judge
2-23 [judges] of the [297th and] 341st District Court, or by a judge of
2-24 a district court in Tarrant County that gives preference to
2-25 criminal cases [courts] has only the duties assigned by the judge
2-26 of the court that the bailiff or grand jury bailiff serves.
2-27 SECTION 5. Sections 53.007(a) and (c), Government Code, are
3-1 amended to read as follows:
3-2 (a) This section applies to:
3-3 (1) the 22nd, 34th, 70th, 71st, 86th, 97th, 142nd,
3-4 161st, 238th, [297th,] 318th, 341st, and 355th district courts;
3-5 (2) the County Court of Harrison County;
3-6 (3) the criminal district courts of Tarrant County;
3-7 (4) the district courts in Taylor County;
3-8 (5) the courts described in Section 53.002(c), (d),
3-9 (e), or (f); [and]
3-10 (6) the county courts at law of Taylor County; and
3-11 (7) the district courts in Tarrant County that give
3-12 preference to criminal cases.
3-13 (c) A request under this section by a judge of a court
3-14 listed in Section 53.001(d), 53.002(a), 53.002(c), or 53.002(e), by
3-15 the judge [judges] of the [297th and] 341st District Court, by a
3-16 judge of a district court in Tarrant County that gives preference
3-17 to criminal cases [courts], by the judge of a district court in
3-18 Taylor County, or by the judge of a county court at law of Taylor
3-19 County must be in writing.
3-20 SECTION 6. Section 53.008, Government Code, is amended to
3-21 read as follows:
3-22 Sec. 53.008. OATH. The bailiffs of the 22nd, 34th, 70th,
3-23 86th, 97th, 142nd, 161st, 238th, [297th,] 318th, 341st, and 355th
3-24 district courts, the bailiffs of the courts described in Section
3-25 53.002(c), (d), (e), or (f), the bailiffs and the grand jury
3-26 bailiffs [bailiff] of the district courts in Tarrant County that
3-27 give preference to criminal cases [297th District Court], the
4-1 bailiffs of the district courts in Taylor County, and the bailiffs
4-2 of the county courts at law of Taylor County shall each swear to
4-3 the following oath, to be administered by the judge: "I solemnly
4-4 swear that I will faithfully and impartially perform all duties as
4-5 may be required of me by law, so help me God."
4-6 SECTION 7. Section 53.009(f), Government Code, is amended to
4-7 read as follows:
4-8 (f) The bailiffs and grand jury bailiffs [bailiff] appointed
4-9 by the judges [judge] of the district courts in Tarrant County that
4-10 give preference to criminal cases [297th District Court] are
4-11 entitled to receive from the county general fund a salary set in
4-12 writing by the judge.
4-13 SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
4-14 SECTION 9. The importance of this legislation and the
4-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.