By Madden H.B. No. 2974
75R7760 SAW-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the appointment of bailiffs for the district courts
1-3 and the statutory county courts of Collin County.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 53.001(a), Government Code, is amended to
1-6 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 Collin County, the judges of the district
1-10 courts having jurisdiction in Taylor County, the judges of the
1-11 county courts at law of Taylor County, and the judge of the County
1-12 Court of Harrison County shall each appoint a bailiff. The judge
1-13 of the 297th District Court shall appoint two persons to serve as
1-14 bailiffs and one person to serve as grand jury bailiff.
1-15 SECTION 2. Section 53.002, Government Code, is amended by
1-16 adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
1-17 (g) The judges of the statutory county courts of Collin
1-18 County may each appoint a bailiff.
1-19 SECTION 3. 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 (g) and the judges of the 297th
1-23 and 341st district courts shall give each commissioners court in
1-24 the judicial district written notification of the bailiff's or
2-1 grand jury bailiff's appointment and date of employment. The judge
2-2 of each court listed in Section 53.002(c) and the judge of the
2-3 297th District Court shall also give each commissioners court
2-4 written notification of the compensation to be paid by the county.
2-5 SECTION 4. Section 53.004, Government Code, is amended by
2-6 adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
2-7 (g) A bailiff of a district court or a statutory county
2-8 court in Collin County must be a citizen of the United States, a
2-9 resident of Collin County, and must, not later than six months
2-10 after appointment, hold a peace officer license under Chapter 415
2-11 from the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and
2-12 Education.
2-13 SECTION 5. Section 53.006, Government Code, is amended by
2-14 adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
2-15 (e) A bailiff of a district court or a statutory county
2-16 court in Collin County shall serve as part of the security force
2-17 for the district and statutory county courts in the county and
2-18 shall perform other duties as required by the judge of the court
2-19 the bailiff serves.
2-20 SECTION 6. Section 53.007(a), Government Code, is amended to
2-21 read as follows:
2-22 (a) This section applies to:
2-23 (1) the 22nd, 34th, 70th, 71st, 86th, 97th, 142nd,
2-24 161st, 238th, 297th, 318th, 341st, and 355th district courts;
2-25 (2) the County Court of Harrison County;
2-26 (3) the criminal district courts of Tarrant County;
2-27 (4) the district courts in Taylor County;
3-1 (5) the courts described in Sections [Section]
3-2 53.002(c), (d), (e), [or] (f), and (g); [and]
3-3 (6) the county courts at law of Taylor County; and
3-4 (7) the district courts in Collin County.
3-5 SECTION 7. Section 53.008, Government Code, is amended to
3-6 read as follows:
3-7 Sec. 53.008. OATH. The bailiffs of the 22nd, 34th, 70th,
3-8 86th, 97th, 142nd, 161st, 238th, 297th, 318th, 341st, and 355th
3-9 district courts, the bailiffs of the courts described in Sections
3-10 [Section] 53.002(c), (d), (e), [or] (f), and (g), the grand jury
3-11 bailiff of the 297th District Court, the bailiffs of the district
3-12 courts in Collin County, the bailiffs of the district courts in
3-13 Taylor County, and the bailiffs of the county courts at law of
3-14 Taylor County shall each swear to the following oath, to be
3-15 administered by the judge: "I solemnly swear that I will
3-16 faithfully and impartially perform all duties as may be required of
3-17 me by law, so help me God."
3-18 SECTION 8. Section 53.009, Government Code, is amended by
3-19 adding Subsection (l) to read as follows:
3-20 (l) Each bailiff appointed by a judge of a district court or
3-21 a statutory county court in Collin County is entitled to receive a
3-22 salary set by the appointing judge that does not exceed the salary
3-23 of a deputy sheriff with the rank of sergeant in Collin County with
3-24 the same number of years service to the county as the appointed
3-25 bailiff, unless the commissioners court sets a higher salary. The
3-26 salary is paid out of the general fund of the county. The
3-27 appointing judge shall provide written notice to the commissioners
4-1 court of the salary to be paid to the bailiff by the county.
4-2 SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
4-3 SECTION 10. The importance of this legislation and the
4-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.