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