Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB683 Compare Versions

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1	1	S.B. No. 683
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the employment, powers, and duties of and procedures
6	6	for matters referred to a statutory probate court judge or
7	7	associate judge.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subsections (d) and (h), Section 25.0022,
10	10	Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
11	11	(d) The presiding judge shall:
12	12	(1) ensure the promulgation of local rules of
13	13	administration in accordance with policies and guidelines set by
14	14	the supreme court;
15	15	(2) advise local statutory probate court judges on
16	16	case flow management practices and auxiliary court services;
17	17	(3) perform a duty of a local administrative statutory
18	18	probate court judge if the local administrative judge does not
19	19	perform that duty;
20	20	(4) appoint an assistant presiding judge of the
21	21	statutory probate courts;
22	22	(5) call and preside over annual meetings of the
23	23	judges of the statutory probate courts at a time and place in the
24	24	state as designated by the presiding judge;
25	25	(6) call and convene other meetings of the judges of
26	26	the statutory probate courts as considered necessary by the
27	27	presiding judge to promote the orderly and efficient administration
28	28	of justice in the statutory probate courts;
29	29	(7) study available statistics reflecting the
30	30	condition of the dockets of the probate courts in the state to
31	31	determine the need for the assignment of judges under this section;
32	32	[and]
33	33	(8) compare local rules of court to achieve uniformity
34	34	of rules to the extent practical and consistent with local
35	35	conditions; and
36	36	(9) assign a judge or former or retired judge of a
37	37	statutory probate court to hear a case under the circumstances
38	38	described by Section 25.002201(b).
39	39	(h) Subject to Section 25.002201, a [A] judge or a former or
40	40	retired judge of a statutory probate court may be assigned by the
41	41	presiding judge of the statutory probate courts to hold court in a
42	42	statutory probate court, a county court, or any statutory court
43	43	exercising probate jurisdiction when:
44	44	(1) a statutory probate judge requests assignment of
45	45	another judge to the judge's court;
46	46	(2) a statutory probate judge is absent, disabled, or
47	47	disqualified for any reason;
48	48	(3) a statutory probate judge is present or is trying
49	49	cases as authorized by the constitution and laws of this state and
50	50	the condition of the court's docket makes it necessary to appoint an
51	51	additional judge;
52	52	(4) the office of a statutory probate judge is vacant;
53	53	(5) the presiding judge of an administrative judicial
54	54	district requests the assignment of a statutory probate judge to
55	55	hear a probate matter in a county court or statutory county court;
56	56	(6) the presiding judge of the administrative judicial
57	57	district fails to timely assign a judge to replace a recused or
58	58	disqualified statutory probate court judge as described by Section
59	59	25.002201(b) [a motion to recuse the judge of a statutory probate
60	60	court has been filed];
61	61	(7) a county court judge requests the assignment of a
62	62	statutory probate judge to hear a probate matter in the county
63	63	court; or
64	64	(8) a local administrative statutory probate court
65	65	judge requests the assignment of a statutory probate judge to hear a
66	66	matter in a statutory probate court.
67	67	SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 25, Government Code, is
68	68	amended by adding Section 25.002201 to read as follows:
69	69	Sec. 25.002201. ASSIGNMENT OF JUDGE ON RECUSAL OR
70	70	DISQUALIFICATION. (a) Not later than the 15th day after the date
71	71	an order of recusal or disqualification of a statutory probate
72	72	court judge is issued in a case, the presiding judge of the
73	73	administrative judicial district shall assign a statutory probate
74	74	court judge or a former or retired judge of a statutory probate
75	75	court to hear the case if:
76	76	(1) the judge of the statutory probate court recused
77	77	himself or herself under Section 25.00255(g)(1)(A);
78	78	(2) the judge of the statutory probate court
79	79	disqualified himself or herself under Section 25.00255(g-1);
80	80	(3) the order was issued under Section
81	81	25.00255(i-3)(1); or
82	82	(4) the presiding judge of the administrative judicial
83	83	district receives notice and a request for assignment from the
84	84	clerk of the statutory probate court under Section 25.00255(l).
85	85	(b) If the presiding judge of an administrative judicial
86	86	district does not assign a judge under Subsection (a) within the
87	87	time prescribed by that subsection, the presiding judge of the
88	88	statutory probate courts may assign a judge to hear the case instead
89	89	of the presiding judge of the administrative judicial district
90	90	making the assignment under that subsection.
91	91	(c) The provisions of Section 25.0022 applicable to a judge
92	92	assigned under that section apply to the same extent to a judge
93	93	assigned under the authority of this section.
94	94	SECTION 3. Section 25.00255, Government Code, is amended by
95	95	amending Subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i) and adding Subsections
96	96	(g-1), (i-1), (i-2), (i-3), (i-4), (i-5), (l), and (m) to read as
97	97	follows:
98	98	(f) Before further proceedings in a case in which a motion
99	99	for the recusal or disqualification of a judge has been filed, the
100	100	judge shall:
101	101	(1) recuse or disqualify himself or herself; or
102	102	(2) request the assignment of a judge to hear the
103	103	motion by forwarding the motion and opposing and concurring
104	104	statements to the presiding judge of the statutory probate courts
105	105	as provided by Subsection (h).
106	106	(g) A judge who recuses himself or herself:
107	107	(1) shall enter an order of recusal and:
108	108	(A) if the judge serves a statutory probate court
109	109	located in a county with only one statutory probate court, request
110	110	that the presiding judge of the administrative judicial district
111	111	assign [statutory probate courts request the assignment of] a judge
112	112	under Section 25.002201 to hear the case; or
113	113	(B) subject to Subsection (l), if the judge
114	114	serves a statutory probate court located in a county with more than
115	115	one statutory probate court, request that the clerk who serves the
116	116	statutory probate courts in that county randomly reassign the case
117	117	to a judge of one of the other statutory probate courts located in
118	118	the county [motion for recusal or disqualification as provided by
119	119	Subsection (i)]; and
120	120	(2) may not take other action in the case except for
121	121	good cause stated in the order in which the action is taken.
122	122	(g-1) A judge who disqualifies himself or herself:
123	123	(1) shall enter an order of disqualification and
124	124	request that the presiding judge of the administrative judicial
125	125	district assign a judge under Section 25.002201 to hear the case;
126	126	and
127	127	(2) may not take other action in the case.
128	128	(h) A judge who does not recuse or disqualify himself or
129	129	herself:
130	130	(1) shall forward to the presiding judge of the
131	131	statutory probate courts, in either original form or certified
132	132	copy, an order of referral, the motion for recusal or
133	133	disqualification, and all opposing and concurring statements; and
134	134	(2) may not take other action in the case during the
135	135	time after the filing of the motion for recusal or disqualification
136	136	and before a hearing on the motion, except for good cause stated in
137	137	the order in which the action is taken.
138	138	(i) After receiving a request under Subsection [(g) or] (h),
139	139	the presiding judge of the statutory probate courts shall
140	140	immediately forward the request to the presiding judge of the
141	141	administrative judicial district and request that the presiding
142	142	judge of the administrative judicial district assign a judge to
143	143	hear the motion for recusal or disqualification. Not later than the
144	144	15th day after the date [On receipt of the request,] the presiding
145	145	judge of the administrative judicial district receives the request,
146	146	the presiding judge shall:
147	147	(1) [immediately] set a hearing before himself or
148	148	herself or a judge designated by the presiding judge, except that
149	149	the presiding judge may not designate a judge of a statutory probate
150	150	court in the same county as the statutory probate court served by
151	151	the judge who is the subject of the motion;
152	152	(2) cause notice of the hearing to be given to all
153	153	parties or their counsel to the case; and
154	154	(3) make other orders, including orders for interim or
155	155	ancillary relief, in the pending case.
156	156	(i-1) If the presiding judge of the administrative judicial
157	157	district does not assign a judge to hear a motion for recusal or
158	158	disqualification within the time prescribed by Subsection (i), the
159	159	presiding judge of the statutory probate courts may assign a judge
160	160	to hear the motion and take other action under that subsection.
161	161	(i-2) A judge who hears a motion for recusal or
162	162	disqualification under Subsection (i) or (i-1) may also hear any
163	163	amended or supplemented motion for recusal or disqualification
164	164	filed in the case.
165	165	(i-3) If a motion for recusal or disqualification is granted
166	166	after a hearing conducted as provided by Subsection (i) or (i-1),
167	167	the judge who heard the motion shall:
168	168	(1) if the judge subject to recusal or
169	169	disqualification serves a statutory probate court located in a
170	170	county with only one statutory probate court, enter an order of
171	171	recusal or disqualification, as appropriate, and request that the
172	172	presiding judge of the administrative judicial district assign a
173	173	judge under Section 25.002201 to hear the case; or
174	174	(2) subject to Subsection (l), if the judge subject to
175	175	recusal or disqualification serves a statutory probate court
176	176	located in a county with more than one statutory probate court,
177	177	enter an order of recusal or disqualification, as appropriate, and
178	178	request that the clerk who serves the statutory probate courts in
179	179	that county randomly reassign the case to a judge of one of the
180	180	other statutory probate courts located in the county.
181	181	(i-4) The presiding judge of an administrative judicial
182	182	district may delegate the judge's authority to make orders of
183	183	interim or ancillary relief under Subsection (i)(3) to the
184	184	presiding judge of the statutory probate courts.
185	185	(i-5) A judge assigned to hear a motion for recusal or
186	186	disqualification under Subsection (i) is entitled to receive the
187	187	same salary, compensation, and expenses, and to be paid in the same
188	188	manner and from the same fund, as a judge otherwise assigned under
189	189	Section 25.0022, except that a judge assigned under Subsection (i)
190	190	shall provide the information required by Section 25.0022(l) to the
191	191	presiding judge of the administrative judicial district, who shall
192	192	immediately forward the information to the presiding judge of the
193	193	statutory probate courts.
194	194	(l) If a clerk of a statutory probate court is unable to
195	195	reassign a case as requested under Subsection (g)(1)(B) or (i-3)(2)
196	196	because the other statutory probate court judges in the county have
197	197	been recused or disqualified or are otherwise unavailable to hear
198	198	the case, the clerk shall immediately notify the presiding judge of
199	199	the administrative judicial district and request that the presiding
200	200	judge of the administrative judicial district assign a judge under
201	201	Section 25.002201 to hear the case.
202	202	(m) The clerk of a statutory probate court shall immediately
203	203	notify and provide to the presiding judge of the statutory probate
204	204	courts a copy of an order of recusal or disqualification issued with
205	205	respect to the judge of the statutory probate court.
206	206	SECTION 4. Section 54.604, Government Code, is amended by
207	207	amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (e), (f), (g), and
208	208	(h) to read as follows:
209	209	(d) The appointment of the associate judge terminates if:
210	210	(1) [the appointing judge vacates the judge's office;
211	211	[(2)] the associate judge becomes a candidate for
212	212	election to public office; or
213	213	(2) [(3)] the commissioners court does not
214	214	appropriate funds in the county's budget to pay the salary of the
215	215	associate judge.
216	216	(e) If an associate judge serves a single court and the
217	217	appointing judge vacates the judge's office, the associate judge's
218	218	employment continues, subject to Subsections (d) and (h), unless
219	219	the successor appointed or elected judge terminates that
220	220	employment.
221	221	(f) If an associate judge serves two courts and one of the
222	222	appointing judges vacates the judge's office, the associate judge's
223	223	employment continues, subject to Subsections (d) and (h), unless
224	224	the successor appointed or elected judge terminates that employment
225	225	or the judge of the other court served by the associate judge
226	226	terminates that employment as provided by Subsection (c).
227	227	(g) If an associate judge serves more than two courts and an
228	228	appointing judge vacates the judge's office, the associate judge's
229	229	employment continues, subject to Subsections (d) and (h), unless:
230	230	(1) if no successor judge has been elected or
231	231	appointed, the majority of the judges of the other courts the
232	232	associate judge serves vote to terminate that employment; or
233	233	(2) if a successor judge has been elected or
234	234	appointed, the majority of the judges of the courts the associate
235	235	judge serves, including the successor judge, vote to terminate that
236	236	employment as provided by Subsection (b).
237	237	(h) Notwithstanding the powers of an associate judge
238	238	provided by Section 54.610, an associate judge whose employment
239	239	continues as provided by Subsection (e), (f), or (g) after the judge
240	240	of a court served by the associate judge vacates the judge's office
241	241	may perform administrative functions with respect to that court,
242	242	but may not perform any judicial function, including any power
243	243	prescribed by Section 54.610, with respect to that court until a
244	244	successor judge is appointed or elected.
245	245	SECTION 5. Section 54.610, Government Code, is amended to
246	246	read as follows:
247	247	Sec. 54.610. POWERS OF ASSOCIATE JUDGE. (a) Except as
248	248	limited by an order of referral, an associate judge may:
249	249	(1) conduct a hearing;
250	250	(2) hear evidence;
251	251	(3) compel production of relevant evidence;
252	252	(4) rule on the admissibility of evidence;
253	253	(5) issue a summons for the appearance of witnesses;
254	254	(6) examine a witness;
255	255	(7) swear a witness for a hearing;
256	256	(8) make findings of fact on evidence;
257	257	(9) formulate conclusions of law;
258	258	(10) recommend an order to be rendered in a case;
259	259	(11) regulate all proceedings in a hearing before the
260	260	associate judge; [and]
261	261	(12) take action as necessary and proper for the
262	262	efficient performance of the associate judge's duties;
263	263	(13) order the attachment of a witness or party who
264	264	fails to obey a subpoena;
265	265	(14) order the detention of a witness or party found
266	266	guilty of contempt, pending approval by the referring court as
267	267	provided by Section 54.616;
268	268	(15) without prejudice to the right to a de novo
269	269	hearing under Section 54.618, render and sign:
270	270	(A) a final order agreed to in writing as to both
271	271	form and substance by all parties;
272	272	(B) a final default order;
273	273	(C) a temporary order;
274	274	(D) a final order in a case in which a party files
275	275	an unrevoked waiver made in accordance with Rule 119, Texas Rules of
276	276	Civil Procedure, that waives notice to the party of the final
277	277	hearing or waives the party's appearance at the final hearing;
278	278	(E) an order specifying that the court clerk
279	279	shall issue:
280	280	(i) letters testamentary or of
281	281	administration; or
282	282	(ii) letters of guardianship; or
283	283	(F) an order for inpatient or outpatient mental
284	284	health, mental retardation, or chemical dependency services; and
285	285	(16) sign a final order that includes a waiver of the
286	286	right to a de novo hearing in accordance with Section 54.618.
287	287	(b) An associate judge may, in the interest of justice,
288	288	refer a case back to the referring court regardless of whether a
289	289	timely objection to the associate judge hearing the trial on the
290	290	merits or presiding at a jury trial has been made by any party.
291	291	(c) An order described by Subsection (a)(15) that is
292	292	rendered and signed by an associate judge constitutes an order of
293	293	the referring court. The judge of the referring court shall sign
294	294	the order not later than the 30th day after the date the associate
295	295	judge signs the order.
296	296	(d) An answer filed by or on behalf of a party who previously
297	297	filed a waiver described in Subsection (a)(15)(D) revokes that
298	298	waiver.
299	299	SECTION 6. Section 54.612, Government Code, is amended by
300	300	amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsection (e) to
301	301	read as follows:
302	302	(a) A court reporter may be provided [is not required]
303	303	during a hearing held by an associate judge appointed under this
304	304	subchapter unless required by other law. A court reporter is
305	305	required to be provided when the associate judge presides over a
306	306	jury trial.
307	307	(b) A party, the associate judge, or the referring court may
308	308	provide for a reporter during the hearing, if one is not otherwise
309	309	provided.
310	310	(c) Except as provided by Subsection (a), in the absence of
311	311	a court reporter or on agreement of the parties, the [The] record
312	312	[of a hearing before an associate judge] may be preserved by any
313	313	means approved by the referring court.
314	314	(e) On a request for a de novo hearing, the referring court
315	315	may consider testimony or other evidence in the record, if the
316	316	record is taken by a court reporter, in addition to witnesses or
317	317	other matters presented under Section 54.618.
318	318	SECTION 7. Section 54.614, Government Code, is amended to
319	319	read as follows:
320	320	Sec. 54.614. REPORT. (a) The associate judge's report may
321	321	contain the associate judge's findings, conclusions, or
322	322	recommendations. The associate judge shall prepare a written
323	323	report in the form directed by the referring court, including in the
324	324	form of:
325	325	(1) [. The form may be] a notation on the referring
326	326	court's docket sheet; or
327	327	(2) a proposed order.
328	328	(b) After a hearing, the associate judge shall provide the
329	329	parties participating in the hearing notice of the substance of the
330	330	associate judge's report, including any proposed order.
331	331	(c) Notice may be given to the parties:
332	332	(1) in open court, by an oral statement or a copy of
333	333	the associate judge's written report; [or]
334	334	(2) by certified mail, return receipt requested; or
335	335	(3) by facsimile transmission.
336	336	(d) There is a rebuttable presumption that notice is
337	337	received [The associate judge shall certify the date of mailing of
338	338	notice by certified mail. Notice is considered given] on the [third
339	339	day after the] date stated on:
340	340	(1) the signed return receipt, if notice was provided
341	341	by certified mail; or
342	342	(2) the confirmation page produced by the facsimile
343	343	machine, if notice was provided by facsimile transmission [of
344	344	mailing].
345	345	(e) After a hearing conducted by an associate judge, the
346	346	associate judge shall send the associate judge's signed and dated
347	347	report, including any proposed order, and all other papers relating
348	348	to the case to the referring court.
349	349	SECTION 8. The heading to Section 54.615, Government Code,
350	350	is amended to read as follows:
351	351	Sec. 54.615. NOTICE OF RIGHT TO DE NOVO HEARING BEFORE
352	352	REFERRING COURT [APPEAL].
353	353	SECTION 9. Subsection (a), Section 54.615, Government Code,
354	354	is amended to read as follows:
355	355	(a) An associate judge shall give all parties notice of the
356	356	right to a de novo hearing before [of appeal to the judge of] the
357	357	referring court.
358	358	SECTION 10. Section 54.616, Government Code, is amended to
359	359	read as follows:
360	360	Sec. 54.616. ORDER OF COURT. (a) Pending a de novo hearing
361	361	before [appeal of the associate judge's report to] the referring
362	362	court, a proposed order or judgment [the decisions and
363	363	recommendations] of the associate judge has [judge's report have]
364	364	the force and effect, and is [are] enforceable as, an order or
365	365	judgment of the referring court, except for an order [orders]
366	366	providing for [incarceration or for] the appointment of a receiver.
367	367	(b) Except as provided by Section 54.610(c), if a request
368	368	for a de novo hearing before [If an appeal to] the referring court
369	369	is not timely filed or the right to a de novo hearing before [an
370	370	appeal to] the referring court is waived, the proposed order or
371	371	judgment [findings and recommendations] of the associate judge
372	372	becomes [become] the order or judgment of the referring court at the
373	373	time the judge of the referring court signs the proposed [an] order
374	374	or judgment [conforming to the associate judge's report].
375	375	SECTION 11. Section 54.617, Government Code, is amended to
376	376	read as follows:
377	377	Sec. 54.617. JUDICIAL ACTION ON ASSOCIATE JUDGE'S PROPOSED
378	378	ORDER OR JUDGMENT [REPORT]. (a) Unless a party files a written
379	379	request for a de novo hearing before the referring court [notice of
380	380	appeal], the referring court may:
381	381	(1) adopt, modify, or reject the associate judge's
382	382	proposed order or judgment [report];
383	383	(2) hear further evidence; or
384	384	(3) recommit the matter to the associate judge for
385	385	further proceedings.
386	386	(b) The judge of the referring court shall sign a proposed
387	387	order or judgment the court adopts as provided by Subsection (a)(1)
388	388	not later than the 30th day after the date the associate judge
389	389	signed the order or judgment.
390	390	SECTION 12. Section 54.618, Government Code, is amended to
391	391	read as follows:
392	392	Sec. 54.618. DE NOVO HEARING BEFORE [APPEAL TO] REFERRING
393	393	COURT. (a) A party may request a de novo hearing before the
394	394	referring court [appeal an associate judge's report] by filing with
395	395	the clerk of the referring court a written request [notice of
396	396	appeal] not later than the seventh working [third] day after the
397	397	date the party receives notice of the substance of the associate
398	398	judge's report as provided by Section 54.614.
399	399	(b) A request for a de novo hearing under this section must
400	400	specify the issues that will be presented [An appeal] to the
401	401	referring court [must be made in writing and specify the findings
402	402	and conclusions of the associate judge to which the party objects.
403	403	The appeal is limited to the findings and conclusions specified in
404	404	the written appeal].
405	405	(c) In the de novo hearing before the referring court, the
406	406	[The] parties may present witnesses [on appeal to the referring
407	407	court as in a hearing de novo] on the issues specified [raised] in
408	408	the request for hearing [appeal]. The referring court may also
409	409	consider the record from the hearing before the associate judge,
410	410	including the charge to and verdict returned by a jury, if the
411	411	record was taken by a court reporter.
412	412	(d) Notice of a request for a de novo hearing before [an
413	413	appeal to] the referring court must be given to the opposing
414	414	attorney in the manner provided by Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil
415	415	Procedure.
416	416	(e) If a request for a de novo hearing before [an appeal to]
417	417	the referring court is filed by a party, any other party may file a
418	418	request for a de novo hearing before [an appeal to] the referring
419	419	court not later than the seventh day after the date of filing of the
420	420	initial request [appeal].
421	421	(f) The referring court, after notice to the parties, shall
422	422	hold a de novo hearing [on all appeals] not later than the 30th day
423	423	after the date on which the initial request for a de novo hearing
424	424	[appeal] was filed with the clerk of the referring court, unless all
425	425	of the parties agree to a later date.
426	426	(g) Before the start of a hearing conducted by an associate
427	427	judge, the parties may waive the right of a de novo hearing before
428	428	[appeal to] the referring court. The waiver may be in writing or on
429	429	the record.
430	430	(h) The denial of relief to a party after a de novo hearing
431	431	under this section or a party's waiver of the right to a de novo
432	432	hearing before the referring court does not affect the right of a
433	433	party to file a motion for new trial, motion for judgment
434	434	notwithstanding the verdict, or other post-trial motion.
435	435	(i) A party may not demand a second jury in a de novo hearing
436	436	before the referring court if the associate judge's proposed order
437	437	or judgment resulted from a jury trial.
438	438	SECTION 13. Section 54.619, Government Code, is amended to
439	439	read as follows:
440	440	Sec. 54.619. APPELLATE REVIEW. (a) A party's failure to
441	441	request a de novo hearing before [Failure to appeal to] the
442	442	referring court or a party's waiver of the right to request a de
443	443	novo hearing before[, by waiver or otherwise, the approval by] the
444	444	referring court [of an associate judge's report] does not deprive
445	445	the [a] party of the right to appeal to or request other relief from
446	446	a court of appeals or the supreme court.
447	447	(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the [The] date the
448	448	judge of a referring court signs an order or judgment is the
449	449	controlling date for the purposes of appeal to or request for other
450	450	relief from a court of appeals or the supreme court.
451	451	(c) The date an order described by Section 54.610(a)(15) is
452	452	signed by an associate judge is the controlling date for the purpose
453	453	of an appeal to, or a request for other relief relating to the order
454	454	from, a court of appeals or the supreme court.
455	455	SECTION 14. The changes in law made by this Act to Chapter
456	456	54, Government Code, apply to a matter referred to a statutory
457	457	probate court associate judge on or after the effective date of this
458	458	Act. A matter referred to a statutory probate court associate judge
459	459	before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
460	460	effect on the date the matter was referred to the associate judge,
461	461	and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
462	462	SECTION 15. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
463	463	______________________________ ______________________________
464	464	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
465	465	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 683 passed the Senate on
466	466	March 19, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
467	467	the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 30, 2009, by the
468	468	following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
469	469	______________________________
470	470	Secretary of the Senate
471	471	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 683 passed the House, with
472	472	amendments, on May 27, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 148,
473	473	Nays 0, one present not voting.
474	474	______________________________
475	475	Chief Clerk of the House
476	476	Approved:
477	477	______________________________
478	478	Date
479	479	______________________________
480	480	Governor