S.B. No. 387 amends the Government Code to establish new bond requirements for judges of statutory county courts and county judges presiding over guardianship and probate proceedings. Specifically, the bill mandates that these judges must execute a bond payable to the county treasurer, with the amount set by the commissioners court. The bond must be no less than $500,000 for judges handling guardianship or probate cases, replacing the previous tiered structure that set lower amounts based on county population. The bill also clarifies that the bond is conditioned on the judges faithfully performing their duties, particularly those outlined in the Estates Code.

Additionally, the bill specifies that certain judges are exempt from these bond requirements, including those who do not preside over guardianship proceedings and those who execute a bond or obtain insurance under a different section of the law. The changes are set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 26.001 (Government Code 26)
Senate Committee Report: Government Code 26.001 (Government Code 26)
Engrossed: Government Code 26.001 (Government Code 26)
House Committee Report: Government Code 26.001 (Government Code 26)
Enrolled: Government Code 26.001 (Government Code 26)