1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the amount of court costs imposed for the support of
 1-3     the county law library.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 323.023(a), Local Government Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  A sum set by the commissioners court not to exceed $35
 1-8     [$20] shall be taxed, collected, and paid as other costs in each
 1-9     civil  case filed in a county or district court, except suits for
1-10     delinquent taxes.  The county is not liable for the costs.
1-11           SECTION 2.  This Act applies to a civil case filed in a
1-12     county or district court on or after the effective date of an
1-13     action taken by a commissioners court under Section 323.023(a),
1-14     Local Government Code, as amended by this Act.  A civil case filed
1-15     before the effective date of an action taken by a commissioners
1-16     court under Section 323.023(a), Local Government Code, as amended
1-17     by this Act, is governed by the law in effect when the case was
1-18     filed, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-19           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-20           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 1477 was passed by the House on March
         25, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 1477 was passed by the Senate on May
         17, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor