H.B. No. 2717
AN ACT
relating to the duties and responsibilities of certain county
officials and the functions of county government.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 51.605(c), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(c) A clerk must each year [annually] complete 20 hours of
continuing education courses. A clerk must, during the first year
of each term of office, complete:
(1) [including] at least one hour of continuing
education courses regarding registry funds handled under Chapter
117, Local Government Code, in the performance of the duties of
office; and
(2) [. The 20 hours of required continuing education
courses must include] at least one hour of continuing education
courses regarding fraudulent court documents and fraudulent
document filings.
SECTION 2. Section 62.106(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may
establish an exemption from jury service if the person:
(1) is over 70 years of age;
(2) has legal custody of a child younger than 12 [15]
years of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving
the child without adequate supervision;
(3) is a student of a public or private secondary
school;
(4) is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an
institution of higher education;
(5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the
house of representatives, or any department, commission, board,
office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state
government;
(6) is summoned for service in a county with a
population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan
under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section
62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a petit
juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the date
the person is to appear for jury service;
(7) is the primary caretaker of a person who is an
invalid unable to care for himself;
(8) except as provided by Subsection (b), is summoned
for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and
the person has served as a petit juror in the county during the
three-year period preceding the date the person is to appear for
jury service; or
(9) is a member of the United States military forces
serving on active duty and deployed to a location away from the
person's home station and out of the person's county of residence.
SECTION 3. Section 191.0045, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by amending Subsection (h) and adding Subsection (i) to
read as follows:
(h) In addition to other fees collected under this section,
a local registrar or county clerk may collect a fee not to exceed $1
for:
(1) preserving [the preservation of] vital statistics
records maintained by the registrar or county clerk, including
birth, death, fetal death, marriage, divorce, and annulment
records;
(2) training registrar or county clerk employees
regarding vital statistics records; and
(3) ensuring the safety and security of vital
statistics records.
(i) A fee under this section shall be collected by the
registrar or county clerk on the issuance of a vital statistics
record, including a record issued through a Remote Birth Access
site.
SECTION 4. Section 132.002(a), Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The commissioners court of a county may authorize a
county or precinct officer who collects fees, fines, court costs,
or other charges on behalf of the county or the state to accept
payment by credit card or electronic means of a fee, fine, court
costs, or other charge. The commissioners court may also authorize
a county or precinct officer to collect and retain a fee for
processing the payment by credit card or electronic means.
SECTION 5. Section 191.030, Health and Safety Code, is
repealed.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2717 was passed by the House on April
21, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 1, 1 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 2717 on May 25, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 1,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2717 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 24, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor