By Hill                                               H.B. No. 1988
         77R5696 GWK-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to contracts for the collection of fines, fees,
 1-3     restitution, and other costs in a criminal case.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Article 103.0031, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Art. 103.0031.  COLLECTION CONTRACTS. (a)  The commissioners
 1-8     court of a county may enter into a contract with a public or
 1-9     private vendor for the provision of collection services for fines,
1-10     fees, restitution, and other costs ordered to be paid by a court
1-11     serving the county.
1-12           (b)  A vendor may not receive compensation under the contract
1-13     in an amount that is greater than 30 percent of the fines, fees,
1-14     restitution, and other costs collected by the vendor.
1-15           (c)  If a fine, fee, restitution, or cost required by law to
1-16     be forwarded by the custodian of the county treasury to the State
1-17     of Texas is collected by a vendor, the custodian may reduce the
1-18     amount forwarded to the state by a percentage equal to the
1-19     percentage specified as compensation under the vendor's contract
1-20     with the commissioners court.
1-21           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.