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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the appointment of bailiffs by district courts in Ector |
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County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 53.001, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (k) to read as follows: |
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(k) The judges of the 244th, 358th, and 446th district |
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courts shall each appoint a bailiff. |
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SECTION 2. Section 53.004, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (h) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) A bailiff in the 34th or [, 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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serves the court and must be at least 18 years old. |
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(h) A bailiff in the 70th, 161st, 244th, or 358th district |
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court must be: |
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(1) a resident of the county in which the bailiff |
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serves the court; |
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(2) at least 18 years of age; and |
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(3) a citizen of the United States. |
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SECTION 3. 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 34th, 70th, 71st, 86th, 97th, 130th, 142nd, |
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161st, 238th, 244th, 318th, 341st, 355th, 358th, [and] 385th, and |
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446th district 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 4. Section 53.0071, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 53.0071. BAILIFF AS PEACE OFFICER. Unless the |
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appointing judge provides otherwise in the order of appointment, a |
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bailiff appointed under Section 53.001(b), [or] (g), or (k) or |
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53.002(c), (e), or (f) is a "peace officer" for purposes of Article |
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2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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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 34th, 70th, 86th, |
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97th, 130th, 142nd, 161st, 238th, 244th, 318th, 341st, 355th, |
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358th, [and] 385th, and 446th district courts, the bailiffs of the |
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courts described in Section 53.002(c), (d), (e), or (f), the |
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bailiffs and the grand jury bailiffs of the district courts in |
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Tarrant County that give preference to criminal cases, the bailiffs |
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and grand jury bailiffs of the criminal district courts in Tarrant |
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County, the bailiffs of the district courts in Taylor County, and |
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the bailiffs of the county courts at law of Taylor County shall each |
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swear to the following oath, to be administered by the judge: "I |
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solemnly swear that I will faithfully and impartially perform all |
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duties as may be required of me by law, so help me God." |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |