|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
|
|
relating to surety bonds for deputy clerks and other employees of |
|
county and district clerks. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 51.309, Government Code, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 51.309. DEPUTY CLERKS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES [CLERK]. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 51.309, Government Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as |
|
follows: |
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the district clerk |
|
shall obtain one or more [a] surety bonds in accordance with this |
|
section [bond] to cover each [a] deputy clerk or other employee. |
|
The district clerk shall obtain: |
|
(1) an individual bond for each deputy clerk and other |
|
employee in an amount for each bond that is equal to the district |
|
clerk's bond; or |
|
(2) a schedule surety bond or a blanket surety bond to |
|
cover all deputy clerks [more than one deputy] and all other |
|
employees in a total amount that is equal to the district clerk's |
|
bond [of the office]. |
|
(b-1) A deputy clerk and an employee must be covered by a |
|
surety bond on the same conditions [and in the same amount] as the |
|
district clerk. A [The] bond covering a deputy clerk or other |
|
employee [the deputies and employees] shall be made payable to the |
|
governor for the use and benefit of the district clerk. |
|
SECTION 3. Sections 82.002(a) and (c), Local Government |
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), [If] the county |
|
clerk [has only a single deputy clerk, the county clerk] shall |
|
execute one or more [a] surety bonds in accordance with this section |
|
[bond] to cover each [the] deputy clerk or other employee. The |
|
county clerk shall execute: |
|
(1) an individual bond for each deputy clerk and other |
|
employee in an amount for each bond that is equal to the county |
|
clerk's bond; or |
|
(2) a schedule surety bond or a blanket surety bond to |
|
cover all [the] deputy clerks[, if there is more than one,] and all |
|
other employees in a total amount that is equal to the county |
|
clerk's bond [of the office]. |
|
(c) A [The] bond covering a deputy clerk or other [an] |
|
employee must be conditioned in the same manner as the county |
|
clerk's bond [and must be for the same amount as the bond for the
|
|
county clerk]. A [The] bond covering a deputy clerk or other |
|
employee must be made payable to the county for the use and benefit |
|
of the county clerk. |
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |