By: Ellis, Ratliff S.B. No. 229
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the collection of certain fines, court costs, and
1-2 restitution in criminal cases.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 51.921, Government Code, is amended by
1-5 amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
1-6 follows:
1-7 (a) In addition to other fees authorized or required by law,
1-8 the clerk of each district court, statutory county court, county
1-9 court [at law], justice court, and municipal court shall collect a
1-10 fee of $25 from a person who:
1-11 (1) has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor; and
1-12 (2) pays any part of a [has been ordered to pay a
1-13 fine, court costs, or restitution by the court; and]
1-14 [(3) seeks to pay the] fine, court costs, or
1-15 restitution on or after the 31st day after the date on which a
1-16 judgment is entered assessing the fine, court costs, or restitution
1-17 [over a period of time rather than immediately].
1-18 (f) The comptroller may audit the records of a county or
1-19 municipality relating to fees collected under this section.
1-20 SECTION 2. (a) Except as provided by Section 3 of this Act,
1-21 this Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-22 (b) Section 51.921, Government Code, as amended by this Act,
1-23 applies only to an offense committed on or after September 1, 1999.
1-24 An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
2-1 covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and
2-2 the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
2-3 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect only if a specific
2-4 appropriation for the implementation of this Act is provided in
2-5 H.B. No. 1 (General Appropriations Act), Acts of the 76th
2-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1999. If no specific appropriation
2-7 is provided in H.B. No. 1, the General Appropriations Act, this Act
2-8 has no effect.
2-9 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.