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                                  * * * * *