1 | 1 | | 83R12580 EAH-F |
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2 | 2 | | By: Huffman S.B. No. 265 |
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3 | 3 | | (Thompson of Harris) |
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4 | 4 | | Substitute the following for S.B. No. 265: No. |
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5 | 5 | | |
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6 | 6 | | |
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7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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9 | 9 | | relating to bond requirements for county officers and employees, |
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10 | 10 | | district attorneys, and criminal district attorneys. |
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11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 43.002, Government Code, is amended by |
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13 | 13 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as |
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14 | 14 | | follows: |
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15 | 15 | | (a) Before assuming the duties of the office and except as |
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16 | 16 | | provided by Subsection (c) or (d), a district attorney must give a |
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17 | 17 | | bond that: |
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18 | 18 | | (1) is payable to the governor; |
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19 | 19 | | (2) is in the sum of $5,000; |
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20 | 20 | | (3) has two or more good and sufficient sureties; |
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21 | 21 | | (4) is approved by the district judge; and |
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22 | 22 | | (5) is conditioned that the district attorney will, in |
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23 | 23 | | the manner prescribed by law, faithfully pay over all money that he |
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24 | 24 | | collects or that comes into his hands for the state or a county. |
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25 | 25 | | (d) A district attorney is not required to execute the bond |
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26 | 26 | | required under Subsection (a) and may perform the duties of office |
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27 | 27 | | if the commissioners court of each county in the district by order |
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28 | 28 | | authorizes the county to self-insure against losses that would have |
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29 | 29 | | been covered by the bond. An order adopted by a commissioners court |
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30 | 30 | | under this subsection shall be kept and recorded by the county |
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31 | 31 | | clerk. |
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32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. Section 44.002, Government Code, is amended by |
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33 | 33 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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34 | 34 | | follows: |
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35 | 35 | | (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) or (c), a criminal |
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36 | 36 | | district attorney must meet the qualifications and give the bond |
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37 | 37 | | required of a district attorney by the constitution and general |
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38 | 38 | | law. |
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39 | 39 | | (c) A criminal district attorney is not required to execute |
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40 | 40 | | the bond required under Subsection (a) and may perform the duties of |
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41 | 41 | | office if the commissioners court of the county the attorney serves |
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42 | 42 | | by order authorizes the county to self-insure against losses that |
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43 | 43 | | would have been covered by the bond. An order adopted by a |
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44 | 44 | | commissioners court under this subsection shall be kept and |
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45 | 45 | | recorded by the county clerk. |
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46 | 46 | | SECTION 3. Chapter 88, Local Government Code, is amended by |
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47 | 47 | | adding Section 88.008 to read as follows: |
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48 | 48 | | Sec. 88.008. SELF-INSURANCE INSTEAD OF BOND. (a) |
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49 | 49 | | Notwithstanding any other law requiring a county officer or |
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50 | 50 | | employee to execute a bond as a condition of office or employment, a |
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51 | 51 | | county officer or employee is not required to execute the bond and |
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52 | 52 | | may perform the duties of office or employment if: |
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53 | 53 | | (1) the commissioners court by order authorizes the |
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54 | 54 | | county to self-insure against losses that would have been covered |
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55 | 55 | | by the bond; and |
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56 | 56 | | (2) the county judge approves the order adopted under |
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57 | 57 | | Subdivision (1), if the county judge was required to approve the |
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58 | 58 | | bond under the other law. |
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59 | 59 | | (b) An order adopted by the commissioners court under |
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60 | 60 | | Subsection (a) shall be kept and recorded by the county clerk. |
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61 | 61 | | SECTION 4. The heading to Chapter 88, Local Government |
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62 | 62 | | Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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63 | 63 | | CHAPTER 88. OFFICIAL BONDS OF [CERTAIN] COUNTY OFFICERS AND |
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64 | 64 | | EMPLOYEES |
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65 | 65 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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66 | 66 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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67 | 67 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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68 | 68 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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69 | 69 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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