By: Barrientos S.B. No. 1161 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to additional filing fee to provide greater access to the 1-2 courts by low-income Texans. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. The Texas Government Code is amended by adding 1-5 Subchapter J to read as follows: 1-6 SUBCHAPTER J ADDITIONAL FILING FEE TO PROVIDE 1-7 ACCESS TO THE COURTS BY LOW-INCOME TEXANS. 1-8 Sec. 51.901. Additional filing fee to provide access to the 1-9 courts by low-income Texans. (a) In addition to all other fees 1-10 authorized or required by other law, the clerk of each court shall 1-11 collect the fees described in this section on the commencement of 1-12 any civil action or proceeding in the court for which a filing fee 1-13 is required and on the filing of any counterclaim, crossaction, 1-14 intervention, interpleader or third party action for which a filing 1-15 fee is required, as follows: 1-16 District Courts other than $10.00 1-17 Family Law matters 1-18 Divorce and other Family Law Matters 5.00 1-19 County Courts 5.00 1-20 Justice of the Peace Courts 4.00 1-21 Small Claims Courts 3.00 1-22 (b) Court costs and fees due under this subchapter shall be 1-23 collected in the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs are 2-1 collected in the case. 2-2 (c) The clerk shall send the fees and costs collected under 2-3 this subchapter to the comptroller at least as frequently as 2-4 monthly. The comptroller shall transfer the fees to the Supreme 2-5 Court of Texas for use in programs approved by the State Bar of 2-6 Texas which provide civil legal services to the poor as set out in 2-7 sub-paragraph (d) below. 2-8 (d) The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors shall adopt 2-9 rules, regulations and procedures for the distribution of funds 2-10 raised from the fees under this subchapter to non-profit 2-11 organizations that provide civil legal services to low-income 2-12 persons who meet the income eligibility requirements of the federal 2-13 Legal Services Corporation or successor organization. 2-14 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993. 2-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.