H.B. No. 1943
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the fee for production or certification of documents.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 22, Civil Practice and
    1-5  Remedies Code, is amended by adding Section 22.004 to read as
    1-6  follows:
    1-7        Sec. 22.004.  FEE FOR PRODUCTION OR CERTIFICATION OF
    1-8  DOCUMENTS.  (a)  A custodian of a record who receives a request for
    1-9  production or certification of a record under a subpoena, a request
   1-10  for production, or other instrument issued under the authority of a
   1-11  tribunal that compels production or certification of a record is
   1-12  entitled to $1 for production or certification of the record.  If
   1-13  more than one record is produced or certified, the custodian of the
   1-14  records is entitled to only one fee under this section.
   1-15        (b)  A custodian of a record who produces or certifies a
   1-16  record under Subsection (a), but who is not required to appear in
   1-17  court, is not entitled to a witness fee under Section 22.001.
   1-18        (c)  The party who requests production or certification of a
   1-19  record shall pay the fee required for the record, as provided by
   1-20  this section, at the time the subpoena, request, or other
   1-21  instrument is served.
   1-22        (d)  The fee required by this section must be taxed in the
   1-23  bill of costs as other costs.
   1-24        (e)  The fee required by this section is in addition to any
    2-1  other fee imposed by law for the production or certification of a
    2-2  record.
    2-3        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-4  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-5  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-6  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-7  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-8  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-9  passage, and it is so enacted.