By Moreno                                              H.B. No. 367

         75R2175 SAW-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to fees collected by a judge or justice for certain

 1-3     services.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 21, Government Code, is amended by adding

 1-6     Section 21.003 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 21.003.  FEE FOR MARRIAGE CEREMONY.  A judge or justice

 1-8     who performs a marriage ceremony under Section 1.83, Family Code,

 1-9     may charge and collect a fee for that service.

1-10           SECTION 2.  Section 36.07, Penal Code, is amended by adding

1-11     Subsection (d) to read as follows:

1-12           (d)  This section does not apply to a judge or justice who

1-13     charges or collects a fee for a marriage ceremony under Section

1-14     1.83, Family Code.

1-15           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-16           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.