1-1 By: Armbrister S.B. No. 1377 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2001; March 13, 2001, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Finance; April 24, 2001, 1-4 reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 12, Nays 0; April 24, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1377 By: Zaffirini 1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-8 AN ACT 1-9 relating to the authority of the state auditor to review the use of 1-10 money collected as court costs. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is 1-13 amended by adding Section 403.0145 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 403.0145. REVIEW AND OVERSIGHT OF FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS 1-15 RECEIVING COURT COSTS. (a) Each fiscal biennium the state auditor 1-16 shall review each fund and account into which money collected as a 1-17 court cost is directed by law to be deposited to determine whether: 1-18 (1) the money is being used for the purpose for which 1-19 it is collected; and 1-20 (2) the amount of the court cost imposed is 1-21 appropriate, considering the purpose for which the court cost is 1-22 collected. 1-23 (b) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, 1-24 the state auditor shall make the findings from the review for the 1-25 previous fiscal biennium available to the public and shall send a 1-26 report of the state auditor's findings to the governor, the 1-27 lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, 1-28 the chief justice of the supreme court, and the presiding judge of 1-29 the court of criminal appeals. The findings may include 1-30 recommendations for legislation or changes to policies. 1-31 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-32 (b) The first report required under Section 403.0145, 1-33 Government Code, as added by this Act, is due December 1, 2002. 1-34 * * * * *