SRC-PNG C.S.H.B. 1168 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 1168
76R14842 PAM-FBy: Thompson (Ellis)
Intergovernmental Relations
5/13/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, many courthouses throughout the state maintain security
checkpoints to prevent weapons and other items from entering the
courthouse.  Many counties provide employee identification cards which
allow employees to bypass security checkpoints.  However, many other people
entering the courthouse are frequent visitors and are also not security
risks.  This bill would authorize certain county  commissioners courts to
issue identification cards which permit certain individuals to enter into
certain county buildings without passing through security checkpoints, and
authorizes a fee for those identification cards. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.H.B. 1168 authorizes certain county  commissioners courts
to issue identification cards which permit certain individuals to enter
into certain county buildings without passing through security checkpoints,
and authorizes a fee for those identification cards. 

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 Chapter 291, Local Government Code, by adding Section
291.010, as follows: 

Sec.  291.010.  SECURITY SERVICES IDENTIFICATION CARDS.  Authorizes a
county commissioners court of a county with a population 2.8 million or
more to sanction the issuance of an identification card which permits
individuals to enter into a county building that houses a justice court,
county court, county court at law, or district court without passing
through the security services provided under Article 102.017, Code of
Criminal Procedure and to set a fee for the issuance of the identification
card to individuals other than county employees.  Requires the
commissioners court to adopt standards for issuing an identification card
described by this section to ensure public safety and security.  Provides
that this section does not authorize a person to possess a firearm in a
county building that houses a justice court, county court, county court at
law, or district court.  Provides that a person who possesses a firearm in
any court described by this section or in any office used by the court
without the court's written consent or without complying with any written
regulations of the court is subject to penalties provided by Chapter 46,
Penal Code. 

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.