SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-1           WHEREAS, A 1996 survey by the Office of Court Administration
 1-2     of the Texas Judicial System revealed that county-level courts have
 1-3     a collection rate of 61 percent for an average loss of $412,000 in
 1-4     uncollected fines, while district courts collect just 26 percent
 1-5     for an average loss of $570,000; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Although the statewide collection rate for fines,
 1-7     fees, and court costs imposed on criminal defendants remains
 1-8     unacceptably low, several Texas counties such as Dallas, Brazoria,
 1-9     and Harris have improved their collection rates using innovative
1-10     in-house and private-sector collection strategies that have served
1-11     as effective models for other counties; and
1-12           WHEREAS, Enormous amounts of data are generated on
1-13     defendants, and the use of information technology to store and
1-14     access data, such as a centralized computer tracking system, can
1-15     make the work performed by collections personnel more manageable;
1-16     and
1-17           WHEREAS, Recognizing this fact, the Commission on Judicial
1-18     Efficiency recommended in 1996 that technology be improved in all
1-19     Texas county and municipal courts; and
1-20           WHEREAS, A computerized collections system and other
1-21     information technologies used in conjunction with conventional
1-22     collection techniques would better enable the courts to track and
1-23     assess the repayment status and residency of defendants, provide
1-24     other information necessary in collecting debts, facilitate the
 2-1     transfer of information, and thus enhance the courts' collection
 2-2     efforts and improve their fine collection rates; now, therefore, be
 2-3     it
 2-4           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
 2-5     hereby request that the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
 2-6     Judicial System work with the Judicial Committee on Information
 2-7     Technology to develop recommendations for using technology and
 2-8     training to notify counties in which an offense has been committed
 2-9     of the defendant's residency and the fine's repayment status and
2-10     that the office submit its recommendations to the legislature no
2-11     later than January 1, 2001; and, be it further
2-12           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
2-13     copy of this resolution to the director of the Office of Court
2-14     Administration of the Texas Judicial System and to the presiding
2-15     officer of the Judicial Committee on Information Technology.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 14 was adopted by the Senate
         on April 30, 1999.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 14 was adopted by the House
         on May 26, 1999.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor