Sec. 292.004. FACILITIES WITHIN MUNICIPALITY DESIGNATED AS COUNTY SEAT

(a) The commissioners court of a county may provide, inside the municipality designated as the county seat, an auxiliary courthouse, a jail, a parking garage, a facility for district, county, and precinct administrative and judicial offices and courtrooms, or any facility related to the administration of civil or criminal justice. For the purposes of this section, the municipality designated as the county seat includes territory added to the municipality after it became the county seat but excludes any part of the municipality outside the county.

(b) The commissioners court may:

(1) acquire a necessary site;

(2) purchase, construct, equip, or enlarge the facility; and

(3) repair and maintain the facility.

(c) If the commissioners court designates the facility as an auxiliary courthouse, the facility may not replace the courthouse at the county seat.

(d) A court required by law to hold its terms at the county seat may hold its terms at a court facility provided under this section.

(e) A district, county, or precinct officer required by law to maintain an office at the county seat may maintain an office and keep official records at a facility provided under this section. The officer must also keep an office at the county seat.

(f) This section does not limit the authority of the commissioners court under any other law relating to the providing of county facilities.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 601, Sec. 2, eff. June 14, 1989.