S.B. 1564 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 1564
By: Madla
County Affairs
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
Currently, county courthouses are prohibited from creating a court annex
outside of the county seat and are prohibited from storing records in a
place other than the county seat.  S.B. 1564 enables a county with a
population of 18,000 or less to build an office annex outside the
boundaries of the county seat and to store county documents in the
facility. 

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
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 292, Local Government Code, by
adding Section 292.0025, as follows: 

Sec.  292.0025.  FACILITIES OUTSIDE COUNTY SEAT IN CERTAIN COUNTIES.  (a)
Provides that this section applies only to a county that has a population
of 18,000 or less.  

(b)  Authorizes the commissioners court of a county to provide an
auxiliary court, office building, or jail facility at a location in the
county and within five miles of the boundaries of the county seat in the
same manner that is applicable to a court, building, or facility at the
county seat.  Authorizes the commissioners court to provide for the
building or facility through the issuance of bonds as provided under
Section 292.002 and authorizes the commissioners court to provide office
space in the building or facility for any county or precinct office.   

(c)  Authorizes the auxiliary court to be used for the holding of court
proceedings, including district court proceedings.  Authorizes the
commissioners court, for the purpose of the court proceedings, to
designate the location of the auxiliary court as an auxiliary county seat.

(d)  Authorizes the records of a county officer who is provided space at a
court, building, or facility under this section and the records of the
auxiliary court to be kept at the court, building, or facility.  

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.

EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage or September 1, 2003.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS
This amendment clarifies that when building an annex, a county may use the
issuance of other evidence of indebtedness, such as lease purchase
agreements or note.