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AN ACT
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relating to the duties and responsibilities of certain county |
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officials and the functions of county government. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.605(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) A clerk must each year [annually] complete 20 hours of |
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continuing education courses. A clerk must, during the first year |
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of each term of office, complete: |
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(1) [including] at least one hour of continuing |
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education courses regarding registry funds handled under Chapter |
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117, Local Government Code, in the performance of the duties of |
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office; and |
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(2) [. The 20 hours of required continuing education
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courses must include] at least one hour of continuing education |
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courses regarding fraudulent court documents and fraudulent |
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document filings. |
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SECTION 2. Section 62.106(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may |
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establish an exemption from jury service if the person: |
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(1) is over 70 years of age; |
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(2) has legal custody of a child younger than 12 [15] |
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years of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving |
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the child without adequate supervision; |
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(3) is a student of a public or private secondary |
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school; |
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(4) is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an |
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institution of higher education; |
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(5) is an officer or an employee of the senate, the |
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house of representatives, or any department, commission, board, |
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office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state |
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government; |
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(6) is summoned for service in a county with a |
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population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan |
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under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section |
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62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a petit |
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juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the date |
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the person is to appear for jury service; |
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(7) is the primary caretaker of a person who is an |
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invalid unable to care for himself; |
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(8) except as provided by Subsection (b), is summoned |
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for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and |
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the person has served as a petit juror in the county during the |
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three-year period preceding the date the person is to appear for |
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jury service; or |
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(9) is a member of the United States military forces |
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serving on active duty and deployed to a location away from the |
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person's home station and out of the person's county of residence. |
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SECTION 3. Section 191.0045, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (h) and adding Subsection (i) to |
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read as follows: |
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(h) In addition to other fees collected under this section, |
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a local registrar or county clerk may collect a fee not to exceed $1 |
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for: |
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(1) preserving [the preservation of] vital statistics |
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records maintained by the registrar or county clerk, including |
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birth, death, fetal death, marriage, divorce, and annulment |
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records; |
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(2) training registrar or county clerk employees |
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regarding vital statistics records; and |
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(3) ensuring the safety and security of vital |
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statistics records. |
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(i) A fee under this section shall be collected by the |
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registrar or county clerk on the issuance of a vital statistics |
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record, including a record issued through a Remote Birth Access |
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site. |
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SECTION 4. Section 132.002(a), Local Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The commissioners court of a county may authorize a |
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county or precinct officer who collects fees, fines, court costs, |
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or other charges on behalf of the county or the state to accept |
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payment by credit card or electronic means of a fee, fine, court |
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costs, or other charge. The commissioners court may also authorize |
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a county or precinct officer to collect and retain a fee for |
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processing the payment by credit card or electronic means. |
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SECTION 5. Section 191.030, Health and Safety Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2717 was passed by the House on April |
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21, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 1, 1 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 2717 on May 25, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 1, |
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2 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2717 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 24, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |