By Reyna                                               H.B. No. 566
       74R2281 PEP-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the payment of court costs for civil suits filed by
    1-3  certain persons confined in county jail.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 13, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 13.004 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 13.004.  PAYMENT OF FEES AND COSTS BY PERSON CONFINED IN
    1-8  COUNTY JAIL.  (a)  If a person confined in county jail files in
    1-9  court an affidavit of inability to pay under Rule 145, Texas Rules
   1-10  of Civil Procedure, the judge shall order the sheriff to deduct
   1-11  from the person's commissary account any amount that would
   1-12  otherwise be available for use by the person and to pay that amount
   1-13  to the court until actual court costs and filing fees incurred in
   1-14  relation to the proceeding are paid in full.
   1-15        (b)  To the extent of any conflict with the Texas Rules of
   1-16  Civil Procedure, this section controls.  Notwithstanding Section
   1-17  22.004, Government Code, this section may not be modified or
   1-18  repealed by a rule adopted by the supreme court.
   1-19        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-20  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-21  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-22  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-23  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-24  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-1  passage, and it is so enacted.