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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to specifications for legal papers filed with a county |
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clerk. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 191.007, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (b) and (k) and adding Subsection |
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(l) to read as follows: |
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(b) A page is considered to be one side of a sheet of paper. |
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A page must: |
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(1) be no wider than 8-1/2 inches and no longer than 14 |
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inches; |
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(2) have a sufficient weight and substance so that |
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printing, typing, or handwriting on it will not smear or bleed |
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through; [and] |
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(3) be printed in type not smaller than 12-point |
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[eight-point] type and be suitable otherwise for reproducing from |
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it a readable record by a photocopy or photostatic, [or] |
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microphotographic, or electronic process used in the office of the |
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county clerk; |
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(4) have a side margin of at least one inch on each |
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side of the page; and |
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(5) have a top margin of at least three inches on the |
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first page and a bottom margin of at least three inches on the last |
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page of the legal paper for the county clerk to stamp, affix, or |
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otherwise record required information. |
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(k) [This section does not authorize a county clerk to
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refuse to record a legal paper for the reason that it fails to meet
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one or more of the requirements prescribed by Subsections (b)
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through (g).] Failure to comply with the requirements prescribed |
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by Subsections (b) through (g) [these requirements] shall not in |
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any manner alter, amend, impair, or invalidate any document or |
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legal instrument of any type or character and upon recordation by |
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the county clerk the document or legal instrument shall be deemed |
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and considered as fully complying with the provisions of law |
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dealing with the recordation of documents or legal instruments of |
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every type and character. |
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(l) A county clerk may refuse to record a legal paper |
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executed or prepared for filing or recording that the clerk |
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determines is not suitable for reproduction, unless the legal paper |
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cannot be replicated to comply with this section. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to |
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legal papers filed with a county clerk on or after January 1, 2014. |
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A legal paper filed with a county clerk before January 1, 2014, is |
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governed by the law in effect at the time the paper was filed, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2014. |