HBA-DMD H.B. 1168 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1168 By: Thompson County Affairs 3/8/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, many courthouses throughout the state maintain security checkpoints to prevent weapons and other items from entering the courthouse. Many counties provide employee identification cards which allow them to bypass security checkpoints. However, many other people entering the courthouse are frequent visitors and are also not security risks. H.B. 1168 authorizes a county commissioners court to issue identification cards which permit individuals into a county building that houses a justice court, county court, county court at law, or district court without passing though the security services. Additionally, the bill authorizes the commissioners court to assess a fee for the issuance of the identification card to individuals other than county employees. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 291, Local Government Code, by adding Section 291.010, as follows: Sec. 291.010. SECURITY SERVICES IDENTIFICATION CARD. (a) Authorizes a county commissioners court to sanction the issuance of an identification card which permits individuals into a county building that houses a justice court, county court, county court at law, or district court without passing through the security services provided under Article 102.017 (Court Costs; Courthouse Security Fund; Municipal Court Building Security Fund), Code of Criminal Procedure. Authorizes a commissioners court to set a reasonable fee for the issuance of the identification card to individuals other than county employees. (b) Requires the commissioners court to adopt standards for issuing an identification card to ensure public safety and security. SECTION 2.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.