Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 1295	House Author:  Hartnett
Effective:  9-1-07	Senate Sponsor:  Wentworth

            House Bill 1295 amends the Local Government Code and the Government Code to create a $20 supplemental court-initiated guardianship fee in probate original actions and adverse probate actions for the support of the judiciary in guardianships.  The bill requires the clerk of a statutory county court, statutory probate court, or county court to collect the supplemental fee, to be deposited into the county treasury to provide supplemental funding for compensation of court-appointed guardians ad litem and court-appointed attorneys ad litem and to fund local guardianship programs for indigent incapacitated persons.  The bill also provides that a supplemental court-initiated guardianship fee is in addition to all other fees charged in probate original actions and adverse probate actions, that it must be paid by the person against whom the fee for such action is charged, and that it is due at the time that fee is due.