| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to the appointment and duties of court investigators for |
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| 8 | 6 | | certain courts in guardianship proceedings. |
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| 9 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 1002.009, Estates Code, is amended to |
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| 11 | 9 | | read as follows: |
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| 12 | 10 | | Sec. 1002.009. COURT INVESTIGATOR. "Court investigator" |
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| 13 | 11 | | means a person appointed by the judge of a statutory probate court |
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| 14 | 12 | | under Section 25.0025, Government Code, or a judge under Section |
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| 15 | 13 | | 1054.156. |
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| 16 | 14 | | SECTION 2. Section 1054.152, Estates Code, is amended to |
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| 17 | 15 | | read as follows: |
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| 18 | 16 | | Sec. 1054.152. GENERAL DUTIES. A court investigator shall: |
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| 19 | 17 | | (1) supervise a court visitor program established |
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| 20 | 18 | | under Subchapter C if the court for which the investigator is |
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| 21 | 19 | | appointed operates that type of program and, in that capacity, |
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| 22 | 20 | | shall serve as the chief court visitor; |
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| 23 | 21 | | (2) investigate a complaint received from any person |
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| 24 | 22 | | about a guardianship and report to the judge, if necessary; and |
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| 25 | 23 | | (3) perform other duties as assigned by the judge or |
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| 26 | 24 | | required by this title. |
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| 27 | 25 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 1054, Estates Code, is |
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| 28 | 26 | | amended by adding Section 1054.156 to read as follows: |
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| 29 | 27 | | Sec. 1054.156. APPOINTMENT OF COURT INVESTIGATOR FOR |
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| 30 | 28 | | CERTAIN COURTS. (a) The judge of a court as defined by Section |
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| 31 | 29 | | 1002.008(a)(1) or (2), other than a statutory probate court, may |
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| 32 | 30 | | appoint a court investigator if the appointment is authorized by |
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| 33 | 31 | | the commissioners court. |
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| 34 | 32 | | (b) The commissioners court may authorize additional court |
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| 35 | 33 | | investigators for a county if necessary. |
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| 36 | 34 | | (c) The commissioners court shall set the salary of a court |
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| 37 | 35 | | investigator. |
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| 38 | 36 | | (d) The appointment of a court investigator by the judge of |
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| 39 | 37 | | a statutory probate court is governed by Section 25.0025, |
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| 40 | 38 | | Government Code. |
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| 41 | 39 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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| 40 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 41 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 42 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1016 passed the Senate on |
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| 43 | + | May 4, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 44 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 46 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1016 passed the House on |
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| 47 | + | May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, one |
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| 48 | + | present not voting. |
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| 49 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 51 | + | Approved: |
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| 52 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 53 | + | Date |
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| 54 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | + | Governor |
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