By: Creighton S.B. No. 1016
(In the Senate - Filed February 22, 2017; March 6, 2017,
read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
April 26, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 26, 2017,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1016 By: Creighton
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the appointment and duties of court investigators for
certain courts in guardianship proceedings.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1002.009, Estates Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 1002.009. COURT INVESTIGATOR. "Court investigator"
means a person appointed by the judge of a statutory probate court
under Section 25.0025, Government Code, or a judge under Section
1054.156.
SECTION 2. Section 1054.152, Estates Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 1054.152. GENERAL DUTIES. A court investigator shall:
(1) supervise a court visitor program established
under Subchapter C if the court for which the investigator is
appointed operates that type of program and, in that capacity,
shall serve as the chief court visitor;
(2) investigate a complaint received from any person
about a guardianship and report to the judge, if necessary; and
(3) perform other duties as assigned by the judge or
required by this title.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 1054, Estates Code, is
amended by adding Section 1054.156 to read as follows:
Sec. 1054.156. APPOINTMENT OF COURT INVESTIGATOR FOR
CERTAIN COURTS. (a) The judge of a court as defined by Section
1002.008(a)(1) or (2), other than a statutory probate court, may
appoint a court investigator if the appointment is authorized by
the commissioners court.
(b) The commissioners court may authorize additional court
investigators for a county if necessary.
(c) The commissioners court shall set the salary of a court
investigator.
(d) The appointment of a court investigator by the judge of
a statutory probate court is governed by Section 25.0025,
Government Code.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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