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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of municipal courts of record in the city |
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of Laredo. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 30, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter WW to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER WW. LAREDO |
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Sec. 30.01821. APPLICATION. This subchapter applies to the |
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city of Laredo. |
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Sec. 30.01822. JUDGE. (a) A municipal court of record is |
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presided over by a municipal judge. |
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(b) A municipal judge is elected at large by the qualified |
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voters of the city of Laredo for a term of four years. Except as |
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provided by Subsection (d), a municipal judge may not serve more |
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than two terms. |
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(c) A municipal judge must: |
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(1) be a licensed attorney in this state; and |
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(2) be a resident of the city of Laredo. |
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(d) A municipal judge may serve the remainder of an |
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unexpired term to which the judge was elected or appointed and serve |
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two additional terms. |
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(e) A municipal judge is entitled to the salary provided by |
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ordinance of the governing body of the city. |
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Sec. 30.01823. CLERK; OTHER PERSONNEL. (a) The governing |
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body of the city by majority vote shall appoint a clerk of a |
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municipal court of record. The clerk must be nominated by the city |
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manager. |
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(b) The clerk serves at the pleasure of the governing body |
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of the city, and the employment status of the clerk is equivalent to |
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a department director. |
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(c) In addition to the powers and duties provided by Section |
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30.00009, the clerk may: |
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(1) administer oaths and affidavits; |
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(2) make certificates and affix the seal of the |
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municipal court of record to the certificates; and |
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(3) perform any act necessary to issue process and |
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conduct the business of the court. |
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(d) The governing body may provide other personnel, |
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including associate municipal judges. |
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(e) The governing body may authorize the appointment of |
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deputy clerks, who may act for and on behalf of the clerk, as |
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necessary for the proper operation of a municipal court of record. |
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(f) The clerk shall hire, direct, and remove the personnel |
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authorized for the clerk's office in the city's annual budget. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |