H.B. No. 890
AN ACT
relating to the terminology used to describe certain judicial
officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 54.603(e), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(e) An associate judge appointed under this subchapter may
serve as an associate judge [a master] appointed under Section
574.0085, Health and Safety Code.
SECTION 2. Section 571.017(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The court shall order the payment of reasonable
compensation to attorneys, physicians, language interpreters, sign
interpreters, and associate judges [masters] appointed under this
subtitle.
SECTION 3. Section 574.0085, Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 574.0085. ASSOCIATE JUDGES [MASTERS]. (a) The
county judge may appoint a full-time or a part-time associate judge
[master] to preside over the proceedings for court-ordered mental
health services if the commissioners court of a county in which the
court has jurisdiction authorizes the employment of an associate
judge [a master].
(b) To be eligible for appointment as an associate judge [a
master], a person must be a resident of this state and have been
licensed to practice law in this state for at least four years or be
a retired county judge, statutory or constitutional, with at least
10 years of service.
(c) An associate judge [A master] shall be paid as
determined by the commissioners court of the county in which the
associate judge [master] serves. If an associate judge [a master]
serves in more than one county, the associate judge [master] shall
be paid as determined by agreement of the commissioners courts of
the counties in which the associate judge [master] serves. The
associate judge [master] may be paid from county funds available
for payment of officers' salaries.
(d) An associate judge [A master] who serves a single court
serves at the will of the judge of that court. The services of an
associate judge [a master] who serves more than two courts may be
terminated by a majority vote of all the judges of the courts the
associate judge [master] serves. The services of an associate
judge [a master] who serves two courts may be terminated by either
of the judges of the courts the associate judge [master] serves.
(e) To refer cases to an associate judge [a master], the
referring court must issue an order of referral. The order of
referral may limit the power or duties of an associate judge [a
master].
(f) Except as limited by an order of referral, an associate
judge [masters] appointed under this section has [have] all the
powers and duties set forth in Section 201.007, Family Code.
(g) A bailiff may attend a hearing held by an associate
judge [a master] if directed by the referring court.
(h) A witness appearing before an associate judge [a master]
is subject to the penalties for perjury provided by law. A
referring court may issue attachment against and may fine or
imprison a witness whose failure to appear before an associate
judge [a master] after being summoned or whose refusal to answer
questions has been certified to the court.
(i) At the conclusion of any hearing conducted by an
associate judge [a master] and on the preparation of an associate
judge's [a master's] report, the associate judge [master] shall
transmit to the referring court all papers relating to the case,
with the associate judge's [master's] signed and dated report.
After the associate judge's [master's] report has been signed, the
associate judge [master] shall give to the parties participating in
the hearing notice of the substance of the report. The associate
judge's [master's] report may contain the associate judge's
[master's] findings, conclusions, or recommendations. The
associate judge's [master's] report must be in writing in a form as
the referring court may direct. The form may be a notation on the
referring court's docket sheet. After the associate judge's
[master's] report is filed, the referring court may adopt, approve,
or reject the associate judge's [master's] report, hear further
evidence, or recommit the matter for further proceedings as the
referring court considers proper and necessary in the particular
circumstances of the case.
(j) If a jury trial is demanded or required, the associate
judge [master] shall refer the entire matter back to the referring
court for trial.
(k) An associate judge [A master] appointed under this
section has the judicial immunity of a county judge.
(l) An associate judge [A master] appointed in accordance
with this section shall comply with the Code of Judicial Conduct in
the same manner as the county judge.
SECTION 4. Sections 574.025(c) and (e), Health and Safety
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(c) The hearing shall be held before a magistrate or, at the
discretion of the presiding judge, before an associate judge [a
master] appointed by the presiding judge. Notwithstanding any
other law or requirement, an associate judge [a master] appointed
to conduct a hearing under this section may practice law in the
court the associate judge [master] serves. The associate judge
[master] is entitled to reasonable compensation.
(e) The magistrate or associate judge [master] may consider
evidence, including letters, affidavits, and other material, that
may not be admissible or sufficient in a subsequent commitment
hearing.
SECTION 5. Sections 574.026(a) and (b), Health and Safety
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The magistrate or associate judge [master] shall order
that a proposed patient remain in protective custody if the
magistrate or associate judge [master] determines after the hearing
that an adequate factual basis exists for probable cause to believe
that the proposed patient presents a substantial risk of serious
harm to himself or others to the extent that he cannot remain at
liberty pending the hearing on court-ordered mental health
services.
(b) The magistrate or associate judge [master] shall
arrange for the proposed patient to be returned to the mental health
facility or other suitable place, along with copies of the
certificate of medical examination, any affidavits or other
material submitted as evidence in the hearing, and the notification
prepared as prescribed by Subsection (d).
SECTION 6. Section 574.028(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The magistrate or associate judge [master] shall order
the release of a person under a protective custody order if the
magistrate or associate judge [master] determines after the hearing
under Section 574.025 that no probable cause exists to believe that
the proposed patient presents a substantial risk of serious harm to
himself or others.
SECTION 7. Section 574.064(b), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) A patient may be detained under a temporary detention
order for more than 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal
holidays, and the period prescribed by Section 574.025(b) for an
extreme emergency only if, after a hearing held before the
expiration of that period, the court, a magistrate, or a designated
associate judge [master] finds that there is probable cause to
believe that:
(1) the patient meets the criteria described by
Section 574.065(a); and
(2) detention in an inpatient mental health facility
is necessary to evaluate the appropriate setting for continued
court-ordered services.
SECTION 8. Sections 574.106(d), (e), and (f), Health and
Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:
(d) A judge may refer a hearing to a magistrate or
court-appointed associate judge [master] who has training
regarding psychoactive medications. The magistrate or associate
judge [master] may effectuate the notice, set hearing dates, and
appoint attorneys as required in this subchapter. A record is not
required if the hearing is held by a magistrate or court-appointed
associate judge [master].
(e) A party is entitled to a hearing de novo by the judge if
an appeal of the magistrate's or associate judge's [master's] report
is filed with the court within three days after the report is
issued. The hearing de novo shall be held within 30 days of the
filing of the application for an order to authorize psychoactive
medication.
(f) If a hearing or an appeal of an associate judge's [a
master's] or magistrate's report is to be held in a county court in
which the judge is not a licensed attorney, the proposed patient or
the proposed patient's attorney may request that the proceeding be
transferred to a court with a judge who is licensed to practice law
in this state. The county judge shall transfer the case after
receiving the request, and the receiving court shall hear the case
as if it had been originally filed in that court.
SECTION 9. Section 574.203(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) A hearing may be conducted in accordance with this
chapter but conducted by secure electronic means, including
satellite transmission, closed-circuit television transmission, or
any other method of two-way electronic communication that is
secure, available to the parties, approved by the court, and
capable of visually and audibly recording the proceedings, if:
(1) written consent to the use of a secure electronic
communication method for the hearing is filed with the court by:
(A) the proposed patient or the attorney
representing the proposed patient; and
(B) the county or district attorney, as
appropriate;
(2) the secure electronic communication method
provides for a simultaneous, compressed full-motion video, and
interactive communication of image and sound among the judge or [,]
associate judge [, or master], the county or district attorney, the
attorney representing the proposed patient, and the proposed
patient; and
(3) on request of the proposed patient or the attorney
representing the proposed patient, the proposed patient and the
attorney can communicate privately without being recorded or heard
by the judge or [,] associate judge [, or master] or by the county or
district attorney.
SECTION 10. Section 821.0211, Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 821.0211. ADDITIONAL DEFINITION. In this subchapter,
"magistrate" means any officer as defined in Article 2.09, Code of
Criminal Procedure, except that the term does not include justices
of the supreme court, judges of the court of criminal appeals, or
courts of appeals, judges or associate judges [masters] of
statutory probate courts, or judges or associate judges [masters]
of district courts that give preference to family law matters or
family district courts under Subchapter D, Chapter 24, Government
Code.
SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 890 was passed by the House on April
15, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 890 was passed by the Senate on May
21, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor