By Ellis S.B. No. 229
76R1346 DB-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the collection of certain fines, court costs, and
1-3 restitution in criminal cases.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 51.921, Government Code, is amended by
1-6 amending Subsections (a), (c), and (d) and adding Subsection (f) to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 (a) In addition to other fees authorized or required by law,
1-9 the clerk of each district court, statutory county court, statutory
1-10 probate court, county court [at law], justice court, and municipal
1-11 court shall collect a fee of $25 from a person:
1-12 (1) who:
1-13 (A) [(1)] has been convicted of a felony or
1-14 misdemeanor;
1-15 (B) [(2)] has been ordered to pay a fine, court
1-16 costs, or restitution by the court; and
1-17 (C) [(3)] seeks to pay any part of the fine,
1-18 court costs, or restitution on or after the 31st day after the
1-19 date on which the fine, court costs, or restitution has been
1-20 ordered by the court; or
1-21 (2) in whose case the court has deferred final
1-22 disposition until a later date [over a period of time rather than
1-23 immediately].
1-24 (c) The custodian of the county or municipal treasury, as
2-1 appropriate, shall keep a record of the amount of money on deposit
2-2 collected under this section and shall send 50 percent of the fees
2-3 collected under this section to the comptroller at least as
2-4 frequently as quarterly [monthly]. The comptroller shall deposit
2-5 the fees received to the credit of the general revenue fund.
2-6 (d) The custodian of the county or municipal treasury, as
2-7 appropriate, shall deposit 10 percent of the fees collected under
2-8 this section in the general fund of the county or municipality for
2-9 the purpose of improving the efficiency of the administration of
2-10 justice in the county or municipality. The Office of Court
2-11 Administration shall develop guidelines for the expenditure of fees
2-12 under this subsection. The county or municipality shall give
2-13 priority to [prioritize] the needs of the judicial officer who
2-14 collected the fees when making expenditures under this subsection.
2-15 (f) The judge of a district court, statutory county court,
2-16 statutory probate court, county court, justice court, or municipal
2-17 court may order a consolidation of any fines, court costs, or
2-18 restitution assessed from separate cases by that court against a
2-19 single defendant. If a judge issues an order under this
2-20 subsection, the clerk may not assess more than one fee under this
2-21 section for those fines, court costs, or restitution.
2-22 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-23 (b) Section 51.921, Government Code, as amended by this Act,
2-24 applies only to an offense committed on or after September 1, 1999.
2-25 An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
2-26 covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and
2-27 the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
3-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.