1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to an additional fee for filing civil cases in certain 1-3 Dallas County courts. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 51.705 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 51.705. ADDITIONAL FILING FEE FOR DALLAS COUNTY CIVIL 1-8 COURTS. (a) In this section, "Dallas County civil court" means a 1-9 district court, including a family district court, a probate court, 1-10 a county court at law, or a justice court in Dallas County. The 1-11 term does not include a small claims court. 1-12 (b) In addition to all other fees authorized or required by 1-13 other law, the clerk of a Dallas County civil court shall collect a 1-14 filing fee of not more than $15 in each civil case filed in the 1-15 court to be used for the construction, renovation, or improvement 1-16 of the facilities that house the Dallas County civil courts. 1-17 (c) Court fees due under this section shall be collected in 1-18 the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs are collected in the 1-19 case. 1-20 (d) The clerk shall send the fees collected under this 1-21 section to the county treasurer at least as frequently as monthly. 1-22 The treasurer shall deposit the fees in a special account in the 1-23 county treasury dedicated to the construction, renovation, or 1-24 improvement of the facilities that house the Dallas County civil 2-1 courts. 2-2 (e) This section applies only to fees for a 12-month period 2-3 beginning July 1, if the commissioners court: 2-4 (1) adopts a resolution authorizing a fee of no more 2-5 than $15; 2-6 (2) adopts a resolution requiring the county to spend 2-7 one dollar for the construction, renovation, or improvement of the 2-8 courts' facilities for each dollar spent from the special account 2-9 dedicated to that purpose; and 2-10 (3) files the resolutions with the county treasurer 2-11 not later than June 1 immediately preceding the first 12-month 2-12 period during which the fees are to be collected. 2-13 (f) A resolution adopted under Subsection (e) continues from 2-14 year to year until July 1, 2016, allowing the county to collect 2-15 fees under the terms of this section until the resolution is 2-16 rescinded. 2-17 (g) The commissioners court may rescind a resolution adopted 2-18 under Subsection (e) by adopting a resolution rescinding the 2-19 resolution and submitting the recision resolution to the county 2-20 treasurer not later than June 1 preceding the beginning of the 2-21 first day of the county fiscal year. The commissioners court may 2-22 adopt an additional resolution in the manner provided by Subsection 2-23 (e) after rescinding a previous resolution under that subsection. 2-24 (h) A fee established under a particular resolution is 2-25 abolished on the earlier of: 2-26 (1) the date a resolution adopted under Subsection (e) 2-27 is rescinded as provided by Subsection (g); or 3-1 (2) July 1, 2016. 3-2 (i) The county may make the required expenditure described 3-3 by Subsection (e)(2) at any time, regardless of when the 3-4 expenditure from the special account occurs. 3-5 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 3-6 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 3-7 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 3-8 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 3-9 Act takes effect September 1, 2001. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 3586 was passed by the House on April 27, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 3586 on May 25, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 100, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 3586 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 23, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________________ Date __________________________ Governor