By:  Leedom                                            S.B. No. 243
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to a fee to finance security services for buildings
    1-2  housing a district or county court.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Chapter 291, Local Government Code, is amended by
    1-5  adding Section 291.007 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 291.007.  FEE FOR SECURITY.  (a)  A sum set by the
    1-7  commissioners court not to exceed $5 shall be collected at the time
    1-8  of filing in each civil case filed in a county or district court
    1-9  and shall be taxed as other costs, except in suits for delinquent
   1-10  taxes.  The county is not liable for the costs.
   1-11        (b)  The clerks of the respective courts shall collect the
   1-12  costs and pay them to the county treasurer, or to any other
   1-13  official who discharges the duties commonly delegated to the county
   1-14  treasurer, for deposit in a fund to be known as the courthouse
   1-15  security fund.  The fund may be used only for the purpose of
   1-16  providing security services for buildings housing a district or
   1-17  county court.
   1-18        (c)  The courthouse security fund shall be administered by or
   1-19  under the direction of the commissioners court.
   1-20        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
   1-21  applies only to a civil case filed on or after that date.
   1-22        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-23  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.