| 1 | 1 | | 86R4213 YDB-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Buckingham S.B. No. 2012 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of truancy masters for Bell County. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 54, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 10 | 10 | | adding Subchapter B to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SUBCHAPTER B. BELL COUNTY TRUANCY MASTERS |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 54.101. APPOINTMENT. (a) The Commissioners Court of |
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| 13 | 13 | | Bell County may select masters to serve the justice courts of Bell |
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| 14 | 14 | | County having jurisdiction in truancy matters. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b) The commissioners court shall establish the minimum |
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| 16 | 16 | | qualifications, salary, benefits, and other compensation of each |
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| 17 | 17 | | master position and shall determine whether the position is |
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| 18 | 18 | | full-time or part-time. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) A master appointed under this section serves at the |
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| 20 | 20 | | pleasure of the commissioners court. |
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| 21 | 21 | | Sec. 54.102. JURISDICTION. A master appointed under this |
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| 22 | 22 | | subchapter has concurrent jurisdiction with the judges of the |
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| 23 | 23 | | justice of the peace courts of Bell County over cases involving |
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| 24 | 24 | | truant conduct in accordance with Section 65.004, Family Code. |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 54.103. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The Commissioners |
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| 26 | 26 | | Court of Bell County shall establish the powers and duties of a |
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| 27 | 27 | | master appointed under this subchapter. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) An order of referral may limit the use or power of a |
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| 29 | 29 | | master. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (c) Unless limited by published local rule, by written |
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| 31 | 31 | | order, or by an order of referral, a master may perform all acts and |
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| 32 | 32 | | take all measures necessary and proper to perform the tasks |
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| 33 | 33 | | assigned in a referral. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) A master may administer oaths. |
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| 35 | 35 | | Sec. 54.104. JUDICIAL IMMUNITY. A master has the same |
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| 36 | 36 | | judicial immunity as a district judge. |
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| 37 | 37 | | Sec. 54.105. TRAINING. A master appointed under this |
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| 38 | 38 | | subchapter must successfully complete all training a justice of the |
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| 39 | 39 | | peace is required to complete under state law. |
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| 40 | 40 | | Sec. 54.106. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SUMMONS OR ORDER. If an |
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| 41 | 41 | | attorney, party, witness, or any other person fails to comply with a |
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| 42 | 42 | | summons or order, the master may certify that failure in writing to |
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| 43 | 43 | | the referring court for appropriate action. |
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| 44 | 44 | | Sec. 54.107. WITNESSES. (a) A witness appearing before a |
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| 45 | 45 | | master is subject to the penalties of perjury as provided by Chapter |
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| 46 | 46 | | 37, Penal Code. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (b) A witness referred to the court under Section 54.106 is |
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| 48 | 48 | | subject to the same penalties and orders that may be imposed on a |
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| 49 | 49 | | witness appearing in a hearing before the court. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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