AN ACT 1-1 relating to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the 1-2 Fourth Court of Appeals District. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 22, Government Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 22.2051 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 22.2051. APPELLATE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. (a) The 1-7 commissioners court of each county in the Fourth Court of Appeals 1-8 District, by order entered in its minutes, shall establish an 1-9 appellate judicial system to: 1-10 (1) assist the court of appeals for the county in the 1-11 processing of appeals filed with the court of appeals from the 1-12 county courts, county courts at law, probate courts, and district 1-13 courts; and 1-14 (2) defray costs and expenses incurred by the county 1-15 under Section 22.205. 1-16 (b) To fund the system, the commissioners court shall set a 1-17 court costs fee of not more than $5 for each civil suit filed in 1-18 county court, county court at law, probate court, or district court 1-19 in the county. 1-20 (c) The court costs fee does not apply to a suit filed by 1-21 the county or to a suit for delinquent taxes. 1-22 (d) The court costs fee shall be taxed, collected, and paid 1-23 as other court costs in a suit. The clerk of the court shall 2-1 collect the court costs fee set under this section and pay it to 2-2 the county officer who performs the county treasurer's functions. 2-3 That officer shall deposit the fee in a separate appellate judicial 2-4 system fund. The commissioners court shall administer the fund to 2-5 establish and maintain a fund system to assist the court of appeals 2-6 in the district. The fund may not be used for any other purpose. 2-7 (e) The commissioners court shall monthly order the funds 2-8 collected under this section to be forwarded to the court of 2-9 appeals for expenditure by the court of appeals for its judicial 2-10 system. 2-11 (f) The commissioners court shall vest management of the 2-12 system in the chief justice of the court of appeals. 2-13 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-14 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. S.B. No. 263 ________________________________ ________________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.B. No. 263 passed the Senate on February 19, 1997, by a viva-voce vote; April 23, 1997, Senate refused to concur in House amendment and requested appointment of Conference Committee; April 29, 1997, House granted request of the Senate; May 7, 1997, Senate adopted Conference Committee Report by a viva-voce vote. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B. No. 263 passed the House, with amendments, on April 18, 1997, by a non-record vote; April 29, 1997, House granted request of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee; May 6, 1997, House adopted Conference Committee Report by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: ________________________________ Date ________________________________ Governor