By Thompson                                           H.B. No. 1138
         76R2023 SMJ-F                           
                                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 place any 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.  [A deputy who is
1-21     appointed by the county clerk may take a marriage  application from
1-22     a person who desires to be licensed to be married, and the deputy
1-23     may issue a valid marriage license to a qualified applicant.]
1-24           (d)  On a regular basis, as directed by the county clerk, a
 2-1     deputy at a branch office shall file all original records made at
 2-2     that office during the previous year with the county clerk's office
 2-3     at the county seat.
 2-4           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-9     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-10     passage, and it is so enacted.