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.