By Tallas                                             H.B. No. 2749
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the compensation for non-certified papers.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 118.001(a), Local Government Code, is
    1-5  amended to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 118.011.  Fee Schedule.
    1-7        (a)  A county clerk shall collect the following fees for
    1-8  services rendered to any person:
    1-9              (1)  Personal Property Records Filing
   1-10        Sec. 118.012...........................................$ 2.00
   1-11              (2)  Real Property Records Filing
   1-12        Sec. 118.013
   1-13        for the first page.....................................$ 3.00
   1-14        for each additional page or part of a page on which
   1-15        there are visible marks of any kind....................$ 2.00
   1-16        for all or part of each 8-1/2" x 14"
   1-17        attachment or rider....................................$ 2.00
   1-18        for each name in excess of five names that has to be
   1-19        indexed in all records in which the document must
   1-20        be indexed.............................................$ 0.25
   1-21              (3)  Non-Certified Papers:
   1-22        for each page or part of a page of.....................$ 1.00
   1-23              (4) <(3)>  Certified Papers (Sec. 118.014):  for the
    2-1        clerk's certificate....................................$ 1.00
    2-2        plus a fee for each page or part of a page of..........$ 1.00
    2-3              (5) <(4)>  Birth or Death Certificate
    2-4        (Sec. 118.115)........................same as state registrar
    2-5              (6) <(5)>  Bond Approval
    2-6        (Sec. 118.016).........................................$ 3.00
    2-7              (7) <(6)>  Notary Appointment
    2-8        (Sec. 118.017).........................................$ 4.00
    2-9              (8) <(7)>  Marriage Licenses
   2-10        (Sec. 118.018).........................................$25.00
   2-11              (9) <(8)>  Declaration of Informal
   2-12        Marriage (Sec. 118.019)................................$25.00
   2-13              (10) <(9)>  Brand Registration
   2-14        (Sec. 118.020).........................................$ 5.00
   2-15              (11) <(10)>  Oath Administration
   2-16        (Sec. 118.021).........................................$ 1.00
   2-17        SECTION 2.  Section 118.052(3), Local Government Code, is
   2-18  amended to read as follows:
   2-19        (Sec. 118.052)(3).  OTHER FEES
   2-20        (A)  Issuing Documents <Requiring a Return No Pending Action>
   2-21        (Sec. 118.059):
   2-22              original document and one copy...................$ 4.00
   2-23              each original set of an original and
   2-24              one copy.........................................$ 4.00
   2-25        (B)  Non-Certified papers:
    3-1        for each page or part of a page of.....................$ 1.00
    3-2        (C) <(B)>  Certified Papers, <No Return>
    3-3        <Required> (Sec. 118.060):
    3-4        for the clerk's certificate............................$ 1.00
    3-5        plus a fee per page or part of a page of...............$ 1.00
    3-6              (D) <(C)>  Letters Testamentary,
    3-7        Letter of guardianship, Letter of Administration, or
    3-8        abstract of Judgment (Sec. 118.061)....................$ 2.00
    3-9              (E) <(D)>  Safekeeping of Wills
   3-10        (Sec. 118.062).........................................$ 5.00
   3-11              (F) <(E)>  Mail Service of Process
   3-12        (Sec. 118.063)................................same as sheriff
   3-13        SECTION 3.  Section 118.059(a), Local Government Code is
   3-14  amended to read as follows:
   3-15        Section 118.059(a)  Issuing Document <Requiring Return No
   3-16  Pending Action>
   3-17        <(a)  The fees for "Issuing Documents Requiring a Return No
   3-18  Pending Action" under Section 118.052(3) are for services in
   3-19  connection with which no action is pending.>
   3-20        (a) <(b)>  The fees for "Issuing Documents" under Section
   3-21  118.052(3)(A) are for services in connection with issuing an
   3-22  original document and one copy including <includes> recording the
   3-23  return of the document.
   3-24        (b) <(c)>  The fee for issuing for the same action at the
   3-25  same time more than one set of an original and one copy of the same
    4-1  document includes recording the return of the document.  The fee
    4-2  must be paid at the time the order is placed.
    4-3        (c) <(d)>  In this section, "document" includes a citation,
    4-4  notice, commission to the depositions, execution, order, writ,
    4-5  process, or other instrument or paper authorized or required to be
    4-6  issued by the clerk <and on which a return must be recorded>.
    4-7        SECTION 4.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation
    4-8  and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    4-9  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   4-10  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   4-11  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   4-12  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   4-13  passage, and it is so enacted.