By Thompson H.B. No. 1138
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1138:
By Farabee C.S.H.B. No. 1138
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to a branch office of a county clerk.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 292.006, Local Government Code, is
1-5 amended to read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 292.006. BRANCH OFFICE OF COUNTY CLERK [FOR ISSUANCE OF
1-7 MARRIAGE LICENSES]. (a) On the request of the county clerk, the
1-8 commissioners court of a county may provide by any means, operate,
1-9 and maintain one or more branch offices at any place in the county
1-10 [for the county clerk for the purpose of issuing marriage
1-11 licenses].
1-12 (b) If a branch office is provided under this section in a
1-13 building owned by the county, the commissioners court shall operate
1-14 and maintain the building in the same manner that it operates and
1-15 maintains the county courthouse. The commissioners court shall
1-16 have care and custody of the building and may placeman limitations
1-17 on the use and maintenance of the building it finds necessary.
1-18 (c) The county clerk may authorize one or more of the
1-19 clerk's deputies to work in the branch office to conduct any
1-20 business as determined by the county clerk, except for the filing
1-21 and recording of real property records. [A deputy who is appointed
1-22 by the county clerk may take a marriage application from a person
1-23 who desires to be licensed to be married, and the deputy may issue
1-24 a valid marriage license to a qualified applicant.]
2-1 (d) On a daily [regular] basis, as directed by the county
2-2 clerk, a deputy at a branch office shall file all original records
2-3 made at that office during the previous day no later than the start
2-4 of the next business day [year] with the county clerk's office at
2-5 the county seat.
2-6 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
2-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.