SRC-JBJ S.B. 1436 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1436
By: West, Royce
Jurisprudence
4/19/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, certain facilities associated with the Dallas County court
system are in dilapidated condition or are insufficient for the operation
of that court system.  As proposed, S.B. 1436 adds provisions to the
Government Code pertaining to the collection of additional fees for
improvements, renovations, and new construction to Dallas County court
system facilities. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 51H, Government Code, by adding Section 51.705,
as follows: 

Sec. 51.705.  ADDITIONAL FILING FEE FOR DALLAS COUNTY CIVIL COURTS. (a)
Defines "Dallas County civil court." 

(b)  Requires the clerk of a Dallas County civil court, in addition to all
other fees authorized or required by other law, to collect a filing fee of
not more than $15 in each civil case filed in the court to be used for the
construction and renovation of the facilities that house the Dallas County
civil courts. 

(c)  Requires court fees due under this section to be collected in the same
manner as other fees, fines, or costs are collected in the case. 
 
(d)  Requires the clerk to send the fees collected under this section to
the county treasurer at least as frequently as monthly.  Requires the
treasurer to deposit the fees in a special account in the county treasury
dedicated to the construction and renovation of the facilities that house
the Dallas County civil courts. 

(e)  Provides that this section applies only to fees for a 12-month period
beginning July 1, if the commissioners court takes certain enumerated
actions. 

(f)  Provides that a resolution adopted under Subsection (e) continues from
year to year until July 1, 2016, allowing the county to collect fees under
the terms of this section until the resolution is rescinded. 

(g)  Authorizes the commissioners court to rescind a resolution adopted
under Subsection (e) by adopting a resolution rescinding the resolution and
submitting the rescinding resolution to the county treasurer not later than
June 1 preceding the beginning of the first day of the county fiscal year.
Authorizes the commissioners court to adopt an additional resolution in the
manner provided by Subsection (e) after rescinding a previous resolution
under that subsection. 
  
  (h)  Provides that a fee is abolished if certain conditions exist.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.