By George                                             H.B. No. 2368
         77R7448 KSD-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the fees assessed by a district court in Dallas County
 1-3     for certain services rendered in juvenile or family law cases.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 152.0635(f), Human Resources Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (f)  The judge of a district court in Dallas County that
 1-8     gives preference to juvenile or family law matters may assess a
 1-9     reasonable fee [of not more than $200 a case] for adoption, family,
1-10     and home study investigations ordered by the judge if the
1-11     investigation is performed by the court services department or
1-12     another agency funded by the county.  The judge shall set the
1-13     amount of the fee and the method of payment to be assessed against
1-14     the parties to the case.
1-15           SECTION 2. (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-16           (b)  The change in law made by this Act applies only to a fee
1-17     assessed on or after the effective date of this Act.  A fee
1-18     assessed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
1-19     law in effect at the time the fee is assessed, and the former law
1-20     is continued in effect for that purpose.