C.S.H.B. 687 78 )    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 687
By: Lewis
Judicial Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, county and/or district clerks must complete 20 hours of
continuing education regarding the clerk's duties during each calendar
year.  Of these 20 hours, three hours must be regarding the handling of
registry funds, and one hour must be regarding fraudulent court documents
and fraudulent document filings.   

C.S.H.B. 687 would lower the required hours for continuing education
regarding registry funds from three hours to one hour.  It is believed
that one hour of continuing education regarding registry funds would be
sufficient each year, and that the clerks could more profitably use the
additional two hours to seek instruction in other areas of the clerk's
duties.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 687 amends the Government Code to require county and/or district
clerks to complete one hour of continuing education regarding the handling
of registry funds each calendar year. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2004.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute makes no substantive changes to H.B. 687.  The substitute
merely reverts to the wording of existing law to eliminate some confusion
that had surrounded the wording of H.B. 687.