By: Vasut (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 2559
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 24, 2023;
April 24, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on
Jurisprudence; May 3, 2023, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 3, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE VOTE
YeaNayAbsentPNV
HughesX
JohnsonX
CreightonX
HinojosaX
MiddletonX
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the persons authorized to administer an oath in this
state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 602.002, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 602.002. OATH MADE IN TEXAS. An oath made in this
state may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by:
(1) a judge, retired judge, or clerk of a municipal
court;
(2) a judge, retired judge, senior judge, clerk, or
commissioner of a court of record;
(3) a justice of the peace, a retired justice of the
peace, or a clerk of a justice court;
(4) an associate judge, magistrate, master, referee,
or criminal law hearing officer;
(5) a notary public;
(6) a member of a board or commission created by a law
of this state, in a matter pertaining to a duty of the board or
commission;
(7) a person employed by the Texas Ethics Commission
who has a duty related to a report required by Title 15, Election
Code, in a matter pertaining to that duty;
(8) a county tax assessor-collector or an employee of
the county tax assessor-collector if the oath relates to a document
that is required or authorized to be filed in the office of the
county tax assessor-collector;
(9) the secretary of state or a former secretary of
state;
(10) an employee of a personal bond office, or an
employee of a county, who is employed to obtain information
required to be obtained under oath if the oath is required or
authorized by Article 17.04 or by Article 26.04(n) or (o), Code of
Criminal Procedure;
(11) the lieutenant governor or a former lieutenant
governor;
(12) the speaker of the house of representatives or a
former speaker of the house of representatives;
(13) the governor or a former governor;
(14) a legislator or retired legislator;
(14-a) the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk
of the house of representatives;
(15) the attorney general or a former attorney
general;
(16) the secretary or clerk of a municipality in a
matter pertaining to the official business of the municipality;
(17) a peace officer described by Article 2.12, Code
of Criminal Procedure, if:
(A) the oath is administered when the officer is
engaged in the performance of the officer's duties; and
(B) the administration of the oath relates to the
officer's duties; or
(18) a county treasurer.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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