Enrolled Bill Summary

Under previous law, counties had the option of participating in the judicial fund by collecting additional filing fees in civil cases and court costs in criminal cases under the statute relating to additional fees and costs in certain statutory county courts. House Bill 1945 requires counties to collect court costs in criminal cases, but the collection of filing fees in civil cases remains optional. To participate in the judicial fund, a county must collect both court costs and filing fees, and if a county collects only court costs, the money goes to the county treasury. The bill also amends provisions relating to the state contribution for the salary of a statutory county court judge to provide that, for counties that participate in the judicial fund under a resolution adopted or filed with the comptroller on or after September 1, 2003, the entire amount of $35,000 will be paid from the judicial fund instead of $30,000 from the judicial fund and $5,000 from the general revenue fund.