Amend CSHB 3211 (Senate committee printing) by adding the
following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and
renumbering the subsequent SECTIONS appropriately:
SECTION ____. Section 26.006, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
follows:
(a) A county judge is entitled to an annual salary
supplement from the state of $10,000 <$5,000> if at least 40
percent of the functions that the judge performs are judicial
functions.
(c) The commissioners court in a county with a county judge
who is entitled to receive a salary supplement under this section
may not reduce the county funds provided for the salary or office
of the county judge as a result of the salary supplement required
by this section.
SECTION ____. Subchapter A, Chapter 26, Government Code, is
amended by adding Sections 26.007 and 26.008 to read as follows:
Sec. 26.007. STATE CONTRIBUTION. (a) Beginning on the first
day of the state fiscal year, the state shall annually compensate
each county that collects the additional fees and costs under
Section 51.703 in an amount equal to $5,000 if the county judge is
entitled to an annual salary supplement from the state under
Section 26.006.
(b) The amount shall be paid to the county's salary fund in
equal monthly installments from funds appropriated from the
judicial fund.
Sec. 26.008. EXCESS CONTRIBUTIONS. (a) At the end of each
state fiscal year the comptroller shall determine the amounts
deposited in the judicial fund under Section 51.703 and the amounts
paid to the counties under Section 26.007. If the total amount paid
under Section 51.703 by all counties that collect fees and costs
under that section exceeds the total amount paid to the counties
under Section 26.007, the state shall remit the excess to the
counties that collect fees and costs under Section 51.703
proportionately based on the percentage of the total paid by each
county.
(b) The amounts remitted under Subsection (a) shall be paid
to the county's general fund to be used only for court-related
purposes for the support of the judiciary as provided by Section
21.006.
SECTION ____. The heading to Section 51.702, Government Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 51.702. ADDITIONAL FEES AND COSTS IN CERTAIN STATUTORY
COUNTY COURTS.
SECTION ____. Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.703 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.703. ADDITIONAL FEES AND COSTS IN CERTAIN COUNTY
COURTS. (a) In addition to all other fees authorized or required
by other law, the clerk of a county court with a judge who is
entitled to an annual salary supplement from the state under
Section 26.006 shall collect a $40 filing fee in each civil case
filed in the court to be used for court-related purposes for the
support of the judiciary.
(b) In addition to other court costs, a person shall pay $15
as a court cost on conviction of any criminal offense in a county
court, including cases in which probation or deferred adjudication
is granted. A conviction that arises under Chapter 521,
Transportation Code, or a conviction under Subtitle C, Title 7,
Transportation Code, is included, except that a conviction arising
under any law that regulates pedestrians or the parking of motor
vehicles is not included.
(c) Court costs and fees due under this section shall be
collected in the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs are
collected in the case.
(d) The clerk shall send the fees and costs collected under
this section to the comptroller at least as frequently as monthly.
The comptroller shall deposit the fees in the judicial fund.
(e) Section 51.320 applies to a fee or cost collected under
this section.
SECTION ____. Section 51.703, Government Code, as added by
this Act, applies only to filing fees for civil cases filed and to
costs on convictions occurring on or after the effective date of
this Act.