SRC-ARR H.B. 1839 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1839
By: Smith (Moncrief)
Jurisprudence
5/6/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

The 75th Texas Legislature granted authority to the judges of each district
court in Tarrant County that gives preferences to criminal cases to appoint
two persons to serve as bailiffs. There are eight felony courts that
regularly handle mostly felony cases in Tarrant County. Four of the eight
courts were unaffected by the legislation because, although they are
criminal district courts, they are not courts that are statutorily required
to give preference to criminal cases. H.B. 1839 provides that each criminal
court will have the same number of bailiffs as courts that give preference
to criminal cases.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1839 sets forth requirements for appointing bailiffs for
the criminal district courts in Tarrant County.  

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 Section 53.001(e), Government Code, to require the county
sheriff to appoint one bailiff for each criminal district court Tarrant
County in same manner as authorized by law. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 53.002(g), Government Code, to authorize the
judge of each criminal district court in Tarrant County to appoint two
persons to serve as bailiffs. Authorizes the board of district judges of
the courts in Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal cases and
the criminal district courts in Tarrant Count to appoint one bailiff for
each grand jury. Prohibits the total number of grand jury bailiffs from
exceeding two.  

SECTION 3. Amends Section 53.003(b), Government Code, to make conforming
changes. 

SECTION 4. Amends Section  53.004(b), Government Code, to require a person,
to be eligible to be a bailiff or grand jury bailiff in a criminal district
court in Tarrant County, to be a resident of the county in which the person
serves the court and to be at least 21 years old.  

SECTION 5. Amends Section 53.006(c), Government Code, to provide that a
bailiff or grand jury bailiff appointed under Section 53.002(g) by the
judge of the 341st District Court, by a judge of a district court in
Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal cases, or by a judge of a
criminal district court in Tarrant County has only the duties assigned by
the judge of the court that the bailiff or grand jury bailiff serves.  

SECTION 6. Amends Section 53.007(c), Government Code, to make a conforming
change.  

SECTION 7. Amends Section 53.008, Government Code, to require the bailiffs
and grand jury bailiffs of the criminal district courts in Tarrant County
to swear to a certain oath.  

SECTION 8. Amends Section 53.009(f), Government Code, to provide that the
bailiffs and grand jury bailiffs appointed by the judges of the criminal
district courts in Tarrant County are entitled to receive a certain salary. 
 
SECTION 9. Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 10. Emergency clause.