SRC-HRD S.B. 686 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 686
By: Shapiro
Finance
4-21-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

The current Appellate Judicial System (system) for the Fifth Court of
Appeals District (court) provides for a court costs fee to be collected by
the respective county treasurers, for each civil suit filed in a county
court, county court at law, probate court, or district court.  While
current statute vests management of the fund with the chief justice of the
court, the dispersement of funds from the account is administered by all
seven commissioners courts.  There are concerns that this division of
management of the fund is often inefficient, largely due to the number of
commissioners courts needed to approve a dispersement. 

S.B. 686 amends current law to place both the management and the
administration responsibilities with the chief justice of the court.  The
commissioners courts would only be required to establish and maintain the
system fund.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 686 requires the commissioners courts of each county in
the Fifth Court of Appeals District to annually order the funds collected
under this section to be forwarded to the court of appeals for expenditure
by the court of appeals for its judicial system. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 22.2061, Government Code, to require the
commissioners court of each county in the Fifth Court of Appeals District
to establish and maintain the fund to assist the court of appeals in the
district, rather than to administer the fund to establish and maintain a
fund system to assist the court of appeals in the district.  Requires the
commissioners court to annually order the funds collected under this
section to be forwarded to the court of appeals for expenditure by the
court of appeals for its judicial system.  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.