1-1     By:  Ellis                                            S.C.R. No. 14
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 22, 1999; January 27, 1999,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;
 1-4     March 11, 1999, reported favorably, as amended, by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; March 11, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6     COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1                                By:  Ellis
 1-7           Amend S.C.R. 14, on page 1, line 44, by striking "March 1,
 1-8     1999" and substituting "January 1, 2001".
 1-9                        SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-10           WHEREAS, A 1996 survey by the Office of Court Administration
1-11     of the Texas Judicial System revealed that county-level courts have
1-12     a collection rate of 61 percent for an average loss of $412,000 in
1-13     uncollected fines, while district courts collect just 26 percent
1-14     for an average loss of $570,000; and
1-15           WHEREAS, Although the statewide collection rate for fines,
1-16     fees, and court costs imposed on criminal defendants remains
1-17     unacceptably low, several Texas counties such as Dallas, Brazoria,
1-18     and Harris have improved their collection rates using innovative
1-19     in-house and private-sector collection strategies that have served
1-20     as effective models for other counties; and
1-21           WHEREAS, Enormous amounts of data are generated on
1-22     defendants, and the use of information technology to store and
1-23     access data, such as a centralized computer tracking system, can
1-24     make the work performed by collections personnel more manageable;
1-25     and
1-26           WHEREAS, Recognizing this fact, the Commission on Judicial
1-27     Efficiency recommended in 1996 that technology be improved in all
1-28     Texas county and municipal courts; and
1-29           WHEREAS, A computerized collections system and other
1-30     information technologies used in conjunction with conventional
1-31     collection techniques would better enable the courts to track and
1-32     assess the repayment status and residency of defendants, provide
1-33     other information necessary in collecting debts, facilitate the
1-34     transfer of information, and thus enhance the courts' collection
1-35     efforts and improve their fine collection rates; now, therefore, be
1-36     it
1-37           RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
1-38     hereby request that the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
1-39     Judicial System work with the Judicial Committee on Information
1-40     Technology to develop recommendations for using technology and
1-41     training to notify counties in which an offense has been committed
1-42     of the defendant's residency and the fine's repayment status and
1-43     that the office submit its recommendations to the legislature no
1-44     later than March 1, 1999; and, be it further
1-45           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
1-46     copy of this resolution to the director of the Office of Court
1-47     Administration of the Texas Judicial System and to the presiding
1-48     officer of the Judicial Committee on Information Technology.
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