86R1260 MP-D
By: Guillen H.B. No. 1494
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to surety bonds for deputy clerks and other employees of
county and district clerks.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 51.309, Government Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 51.309. DEPUTY CLERKS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES [CLERK].
SECTION 2. Section 51.309(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the district clerk
shall obtain a surety bond to cover each [a] deputy clerk or other
employee. The district clerk may obtain a schedule surety bond or a
blanket surety bond to cover more than one individual [deputy and
all employees of the office]. A bond covering a [A] deputy clerk or
other [and an] employee must be conditioned in [covered on] the same
manner as the district clerk's bond, and the total amount of bonds
covering all deputy clerks and other employees must be equal to the
amount of the district clerk's bond [conditions and in the same
amount as the district clerk]. A [The] bond covering a deputy clerk
or other employee [the deputies and employees] shall be made
payable to the governor for the use and benefit of the district
clerk.
SECTION 3. Sections 82.002(a) and (c), Local Government
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The [If the] county clerk [has only a single deputy
clerk, the county clerk] shall execute a surety bond to cover each
[the] deputy clerk or other employee. The county clerk may [shall]
execute a schedule surety bond or a blanket surety bond to cover
more than one individual [all the deputy clerks, if there is more
than one, and all other employees of the office].
(c) A [The] bond covering a deputy clerk or other [an]
employee must be conditioned in the same manner as the county
clerk's bond, and the total amount of bonds covering all deputy
clerks and other employees must be at least equal to the amount of
the county clerk's bond [must be for the same amount as the bond for
the county clerk]. A [The] bond covering a deputy clerk or other
employee must be made payable to the county for the use and benefit
of the county clerk.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.