By Dunnam H.B. No. 2917
76R4272 JMC-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the collection of a time payment fee in certain courts
1-3 and to the requirement that the Office of Court Administration of
1-4 the Texas Judicial System develop guidelines for spending certain
1-5 funds.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. Section 51.921, Government Code, is amended by
1-8 amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (f) to read
1-9 as follows:
1-10 (a) In addition to other fees authorized or required by law,
1-11 the clerk of each district court, statutory county court, county
1-12 court at law, justice court, and municipal court shall collect a
1-13 fee of $25 from a person who:
1-14 (1) has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor
1-15 other than an offense under Subtitle C, Title 7, Transportation
1-16 Code, or Chapter 729 of that code punishable by fine only;
1-17 (2) has been ordered to pay a fine, court costs, or
1-18 restitution by the court; and
1-19 (3) seeks to pay the fine, court costs, or restitution
1-20 over a period of time that ends after the 30th day after the date
1-21 the person is ordered to pay the fine, costs, or restitution
1-22 [rather than immediately].
1-23 (c) The custodian of the county or municipal treasury, as
1-24 appropriate, shall keep a record of the amount of money on deposit
2-1 collected under this section and shall send 50 percent of the fees
2-2 collected under this section to the comptroller at least as
2-3 frequently as quarterly [monthly]. The comptroller shall deposit
2-4 the fees received to the credit of the general revenue fund.
2-5 (f) The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
2-6 System shall develop guidelines for spending funds deposited under
2-7 Subsection (d) for the purpose of improving the efficiency of the
2-8 administration of justice in a county or municipality.
2-9 SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
2-10 to a person ordered to pay a fine, court costs, or restitution on
2-11 or after the effective date of this Act.
2-12 SECTION 3. The Office of Court Administration of the Texas
2-13 Judicial System shall develop the guidelines required by Section
2-14 51.921(f), Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than
2-15 January 1, 2000.
2-16 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-17 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
2-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.