By:  Carriker                                          S.B. No. 577
       73R4692 DWS-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to collection of certain amounts in relation to proof of
    1-3  financial responsibility by an operator of a motor vehicle.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Article I, Texas Motor Vehicle
    1-6  Safety-Responsibility Act (Article 6701h, Vernon's Texas Civil
    1-7  Statutes), is amended by adding Section 1D-3 to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 1D-3.  COLLECTION OF CERTAIN AMOUNTS PROHIBITED.  (a)
    1-9  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this section, if a person
   1-10  charged with an offense under this Act establishes a defense under
   1-11  Section 1D or 1D-2 of this Act, the court or another governmental
   1-12  entity may not collect from the person a fee, cost, or any other
   1-13  amount in relation to the criminal charges or a proceeding arising
   1-14  from the criminal charges.
   1-15        (b)  This section does not prohibit the collection of a fee,
   1-16  cost, or other amount in relation to a proceeding that involves, in
   1-17  addition to the charges for which a defense is established under
   1-18  Section 1D or 1D-2 of this Act, other criminal charges if the fee,
   1-19  cost, or other amount would apply in the absence of charges for
   1-20  which a defense is established under Section 1D or 1D-2.
   1-21        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-22  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-23  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-24  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-1  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-2  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-3  passage, and it is so enacted.