HBA-MPA H.B. 2331 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2331 By: Nixon, Joe County Affairs 4/2/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the need for a new Harris County civil courthouse is clear. The Board of Judges sought and received approval from the Harris County commissioners to ask the voters in November 1999 to support a bond issue to construct a new civil courthouse. H.B. 2331, filed at the request of the Board of District Court Judges of Harris County, would increase the filing fees in civil cases by $12.50 for a period of five years, stipulating that such a fee be placed in a dedicated fund to be used only for renovation of the county criminal court building and construction of a new county civil court building. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 118.052, Local Government Code, to require the clerk of a county court to collect a fee of $12.50 for renovation and construction of court buildings in certain counties under Section 118.0547, which fee expires September 1, 2004. SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 118, Local Government Code, by adding Section 118.0547 as follows: Sec. 118.0547. RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION FEE IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) Provides that this section only applies to a county with a population over 2.8 million. (b) Authorizes the fee under Section 118.052(1) (Civil Court Actions), Local Government Code, to be used only for renovating a building formerly occupied as a criminal court building, and constructing a new county civil court building. (c) Requires the fee to be assessed as cost and must be paid at the time a civil case or ancillary pleading is filed. (d) Provides that the commissioners court must approve each expenditure made from the money collected under this section. (e) Provides that this section and Section 118.052(1)(D) (Renovation and Construction of Court Buildings) both expire September 1, 2004. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 4.Emergency clause.