By Armbrister                                         S.B. No. 1348
         77R6604 JRD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to requiring a court cost impact statement on a bill or
 1-3     resolution that imposes a court cost on a person charged with a
 1-4     criminal offense.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Chapter 314, Government Code, is amended by adding
 1-7     Section 314.005 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 314.005.  IMPOSING COURT COSTS ON CERTAIN CRIMINAL
 1-9     DEFENDANTS. (a)  The board shall prepare an impact statement for
1-10     each bill or resolution proposing a constitutional amendment that
1-11     proposes a new court cost or fee or an increase in the amount of a
1-12     court cost or fee on a person charged with a criminal offense,
1-13     including a court cost or fee charged on conviction or other
1-14     disposition or postponed disposition of the criminal charge.
1-15           (b)  The impact statement must show the total amount of court
1-16     costs and fees that persons will be required to pay under the bill
1-17     or resolution when considered together with all other applicable
1-18     laws.
1-19           (c)  The board shall deliver a copy of the impact statement
1-20     to the author of the bill or resolution and to each member of a
1-21     legislative committee to which the bill or resolution is referred
1-22     not later than the 10th day after the date the bill or resolution
1-23     is referred to the  committee.  If required or permitted by the
1-24     rules of the applicable house of the legislature, the impact
 2-1     statement must be attached to the bill or resolution in the same
 2-2     manner that a fiscal note must be attached under Section 314.003
 2-3     and applicable legislative rules.
 2-4           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.