1-1 By: Pickett, Hinojosa (Senate Sponsor - Lucio) H.B. No. 2725 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1999; 1-3 May 6, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State 1-4 Affairs; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the collection of costs in criminal cases. 1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-10 SECTION 1. Article 103.003, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-11 amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: 1-12 (c) This article does not limit the authority of a county to 1-13 contract with a public or private vendor for the provision of 1-14 collection services under Article 103.0031. 1-15 SECTION 2. Article 103.0031, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-16 amended to read as follows: 1-17 Art. 103.0031. COLLECTION CONTRACTS. (a) The commissioners 1-18 court of a county may enter into a contract with a public or 1-19 private vendor for the provision of collection services for debts 1-20 and accounts receivable such as fines, fees, restitution, bond 1-21 forfeitures, and other debts or costs ordered to be paid by a court 1-22 serving the county. 1-23 (b) A commissioners court that enters into a contract under 1-24 this article with a private attorney may authorize the addition of 1-25 attorney's fees on each debt or account receivable referred to the 1-26 attorney for collection, in an amount not to exceed 33 percent of 1-27 the account or debt. 1-28 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-29 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-30 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-31 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-32 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-33 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-34 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-35 * * * * *