By: S. Davis of Harris, et al. H.B. No. 1559
        (Senate Sponsor - Huffman)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 27, 2011;
  May 3, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Jurisprudence; May 12, 2011, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 12, 2011, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the retention, storage, and destruction of certain
  court documents.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 441, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter B to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER B.  COURT DOCUMENTS
         Sec. 441.025.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Texas State Library and
  Archives Commission.
               (2)  "Court document" means any instrument, document,
  paper, or other record filed with, otherwise presented to, or
  produced by a court in this state.
         Sec. 441.026.  RETENTION, STORAGE, AND DESTRUCTION OF
  CERTAIN COURT DOCUMENTS. (a)  The commission shall adopt rules for
  the retention, storage, and destruction of a court document filed
  with, otherwise presented to, or produced by a court in this state
  before January 1, 1951.
         (b)  A court in this state may not destroy a court document
  described by Subsection (a) except as provided by rules of the
  commission.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
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