76R10124 DAK-D
By West H.B. No. 243
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 243:
By Gutierrez C.S.H.B. No. 243
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to authorizing peace officers to administer certain oaths.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 602.002, Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 602.002. OATH MADE IN TEXAS. An oath made in this
1-7 state may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by:
1-8 (1) a judge, clerk, or commissioner of a court of
1-9 record;
1-10 (2) a justice of the peace or a clerk of a justice
1-11 court;
1-12 (3) a notary public;
1-13 (4) a member of a board or commission created by a law
1-14 of this state, in a matter pertaining to a duty of the board or
1-15 commission;
1-16 (5) a person employed by the Texas Ethics Commission
1-17 who has a duty related to a report required by Title 15, Election
1-18 Code, in a matter pertaining to that duty;
1-19 (6) a county tax assessor-collector or an employee of
1-20 the county tax assessor-collector if the oath relates to a document
1-21 that is required or authorized to be filed in the office of the
1-22 county tax assessor-collector;
1-23 (7) a peace officer described by Article 2.12, Code of
1-24 Criminal Procedure, if:
2-1 (A) the oath is administered when the officer is
2-2 engaged in the performance of the officer's duties; and
2-3 (B) the administration of the oath relates to
2-4 the officer's duties;
2-5 (8) the secretary of state;
2-6 (9) [(8)] the lieutenant governor;
2-7 (10) [(9)] the speaker of the house of
2-8 representatives; or
2-9 (11) [(10)] the governor.
2-10 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
2-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-15 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-16 passage, and it is so enacted.