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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to payment of certain court costs associated with |
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interpreters. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 57.002, Government Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 57.002. APPOINTMENT OF INTERPRETER OR CART PROVIDER; |
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CART PROVIDER LIST; PAYMENT OF INTERPRETER COSTS. |
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SECTION 2. Section 57.002, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (g), (h), and (i) to read as follows: |
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(g) A party to a proceeding in a court who files a statement |
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of inability to afford payment of court costs under Rule 145, Texas |
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Rules of Civil Procedure, is not required to provide an interpreter |
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at the party's expense or pay the costs associated with the services |
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of an interpreter appointed under this section that are incurred |
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during the course of the action, unless the statement has been |
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contested and the court has ordered the party to pay costs pursuant |
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to Rule 145. Nothing in this subsection is intended to apply to |
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interpreter services or other auxiliary aids for individuals who |
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are deaf, hard of hearing, or have communication disabilities, |
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which shall be provided to those individuals free of charge |
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pursuant to federal and state laws. |
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(h) Each county auditor, or other individual designated by |
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the commissioners court of a county, in consultation with the |
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district and county clerks shall submit to the Office of Court |
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Administration of the Texas Judicial System, in the manner |
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prescribed by the office, information on the money the county spent |
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during the preceding fiscal year to provide court-ordered |
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interpretation services in civil and criminal proceedings. The |
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information must include: |
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(1) the number of interpreters appointed; |
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(2) the number of interpreters appointed for parties |
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or witnesses who are indigent; |
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(3) the amount of money the county spent to provide |
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court-ordered interpretation services; and |
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(4) for civil proceedings, whether a party to the |
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proceeding filed a statement of inability to afford payment of |
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court costs under Rule 145, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, |
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applicable to the appointment of an interpreter. |
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(i) Not later than December 1 of each year, the Office of |
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Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall: |
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(1) submit to the legislature a report that aggregates |
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by county the information submitted under Subsection (h) for the |
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preceding fiscal year; and |
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(2) publish the report on the office's Internet |
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website. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies to an |
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action pending on the effective date of this Act or filed on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2023. |