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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to appointment of bailiffs for the district courts in |
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Comal, Hays, and Caldwell Counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 53.001(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The judges of the [22nd,] 30th, 70th, 71st, 78th, 89th, |
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161st, and 341st district courts, the judges of the district courts |
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having jurisdiction in Taylor County, the judges of the county |
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courts at law of Taylor County, and the judge of the County Court of |
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Harrison County shall each appoint a bailiff. |
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SECTION 2. Section 53.002, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (i) and adding Subsections (j) and (k) to read |
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as follows: |
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(i) The local administrative judge of the district courts in |
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Comal County [207th District Court] may appoint two or more |
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bailiffs [a bailiff] to serve the district courts [court] in Comal |
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County as the judge determines necessary for the efficient |
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operation of the district courts, subject to the approval of a |
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majority of the district judges of those courts [the local
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administrative judge]. A majority of the district judges of those |
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courts may remove a bailiff appointed under this subsection. The |
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local administrative judge may not appoint more than two bailiffs |
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under this subsection unless the funding for the additional |
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bailiffs is approved by the commissioners court of Comal County |
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before the appointment. A bailiff appointed under this subsection |
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is entitled to the salary recommended by the local administrative |
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judge, subject to the approval of the commissioners court. |
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(j) The local administrative judge of the district courts in |
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Hays County may appoint two or more bailiffs to serve the district |
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courts in Hays County as the judge determines necessary for the |
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efficient operation of the district courts, subject to the approval |
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of a majority of the district judges of those courts. A majority of |
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the district judges of those courts may remove a bailiff appointed |
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under this subsection. The local administrative judge may not |
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appoint more than two bailiffs under this subsection unless the |
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funding for the additional bailiffs is approved by the |
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commissioners court of Hays County before the appointment. A |
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bailiff appointed under this subsection is entitled to the salary |
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recommended by the local administrative judge, subject to the |
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approval of the commissioners court. |
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(k) The local administrative judge of the district courts in |
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Caldwell County may appoint two or more bailiffs to serve the |
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district courts in Caldwell County as the judge determines |
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necessary for the efficient operation of the district courts, |
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subject to the approval of a majority of the district judges of |
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those courts. A majority of the district judges of those courts may |
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remove a bailiff appointed under this subsection. The local |
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administrative judge may not appoint more than two bailiffs under |
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this subsection unless the funding for the additional bailiffs is |
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approved by the commissioners court of Caldwell County before the |
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appointment. A bailiff appointed under this subsection is entitled |
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to the salary recommended by the local administrative judge, |
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subject to the approval of the commissioners court. |
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SECTION 3. Section 53.004(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A bailiff in the [22nd,] 34th, 70th, 71st, or 161st |
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district court must be a resident of the county in which the bailiff |
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[he] serves the court and must be at least 18 years old. |
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SECTION 4. Section 53.007(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) This section applies to: |
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(1) the [22nd,] 34th, 70th, 71st, 86th, 97th, 130th, |
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142nd, 161st, 238th, 318th, 341st, 355th, and 385th district |
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courts; |
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(2) the County Court of Harrison County; |
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(3) the criminal district courts of Tarrant County; |
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(4) the district courts in Taylor County; |
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(5) the courts described in Section 53.002(c), (d), |
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(e), or (f); |
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(6) the county courts at law of Taylor County; |
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(7) the district courts in Tarrant County that give |
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preference to criminal cases; and |
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(8) the 115th District Court in Upshur County. |
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SECTION 5. Section 53.008, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 53.008. OATH. The bailiffs of the [22nd,] 34th, 70th, |
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86th, 97th, 130th, 142nd, 161st, 238th, 318th, 341st, 355th, and |
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385th district courts, the bailiffs of the courts described in |
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Section 53.002(c), (d), (e), or (f), the bailiffs and the grand jury |
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bailiffs of the district courts in Tarrant County that give |
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preference to criminal cases, the bailiffs and grand jury bailiffs |
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of the criminal district courts in Tarrant County, the bailiffs of |
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the district courts in Taylor County, and the bailiffs of the county |
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courts at law of Taylor County shall each swear to the following |
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oath, to be administered by the judge: "I solemnly swear that I |
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will faithfully and impartially perform all duties as may be |
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required of me by law, so help me God." |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |