1-1  By:  Hunter of Taylor (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister)   H.B. No. 2509
    1-2        (In the Senate - Received from the House May 15, 1995;
    1-3  May 18, 1995, read first time and referred to Committee on
    1-4  Intergovernmental Relations; May 26, 1995, reported favorably by
    1-5  the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 26, 1995, sent to
    1-6  printer.)
    1-7                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-8                                AN ACT
    1-9  relating to the collection of certain fees, court costs, and fines
   1-10  by municipalities and counties.
   1-11        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-12        SECTION 1.  Article 103.0031, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
   1-13  amended to read as follows:
   1-14        Art. 103.0031.  COLLECTION CONTRACTS.  The commissioners
   1-15  court of a county or the governing body of a municipality may enter
   1-16  into a contract with a public or private vendor to:
   1-17              (1)  contact persons with outstanding court cases; and
   1-18              (2)  coordinate payments and provide for the <provision
   1-19  of> collection of <services for> fines, fees, restitution, and
   1-20  other costs ordered to be paid by a court serving the county or
   1-21  municipality.
   1-22        SECTION 2.  Section 132.002(a), Local Government Code, is
   1-23  amended to read as follows:
   1-24        (a)  The commissioners court of a county may authorize a
   1-25  county or precinct officer who collects fees, fines, court costs,
   1-26  or other charges to:
   1-27              (1)  accept payment by credit card of a fee, fine,
   1-28  court cost, or other charge; and
   1-29              (2)  if specifically authorized by the commissioners
   1-30  court, collect a fee for processing the payment by credit card.
   1-31        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-32  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-33  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-34  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-35  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-36  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-37  passage, and it is so enacted.
   1-38                               * * * * *