By Solomons                                           H.B. No. 2150
       74R5375 MWV-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to publication of certain information regarding municipal
    1-3  courts.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 29.012 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 29.012.  ANNUAL PUBLISHED REPORT.  (a)  Each
    1-8  municipality shall publish a report regarding the operations of its
    1-9  municipal courts, including its municipal courts of record, if
   1-10  applicable.
   1-11        (b)  The municipality shall publish the report not later than
   1-12  the 30th day after the last day of the municipality's fiscal year.
   1-13        (c)  The municipality shall publish the report in a newspaper
   1-14  of general circulation published in a county in which the
   1-15  municipality is located.
   1-16        (d)  If a newspaper is not published in a county in which the
   1-17  municipality is located, the municipality shall post the report for
   1-18  at least 30 days in five or more public locations in the
   1-19  municipality.
   1-20        (e)  Proof of publication of notice in a newspaper shall be
   1-21  made by affidavit of the publisher accompanied by a printed copy of
   1-22  the notice as published.
   1-23        (f)  Proof of posting may be made by the return of the
   1-24  sheriff or a constable of a county in which the municipality is
    2-1  located or by an affidavit of a credible person made on a copy of
    2-2  the posted notice showing the fact of the posting.
    2-3        (g)  A municipality shall file a proof of publication or
    2-4  proof of posting with the Office of Court Administration of the
    2-5  Texas Judicial System not later than the 90th day after the last
    2-6  day of the municipality's fiscal year.
    2-7        (h)  The municipality shall include in the report:
    2-8              (1)  the schedule of fines, if any, followed by each
    2-9  judge for that municipality;
   2-10              (2)  a financial statement regarding the operation of
   2-11  the courts; and
   2-12              (3)  the name, address, and telephone number of a
   2-13  municipal official who may be contacted for information regarding
   2-14  the municipal court.
   2-15        SECTION 2.  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,
   2-20  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-21  passage, and it is so enacted.