C.S.H.B. 494 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 494
By: Jones, Jesse
County Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)


        
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In 1993, the 73rd Legislature created a fee not to exceed $5 for county
courthouse security.  This fee is collectable from defendants convicted of
a felony or at the time of filing of each civil case filed in a county
court, county court at law, or district court.  This fee was created when
the primary focus was courtroom security.  It has been exceptionally
effective in reducing deadly incidents in the courtrooms of Texas. 

Domestic and international threats have caused units of county government
to add security deterrents for the safety of the entire courthouse
complex(es).  Increasing the ceiling for this locally set 10-yearold fee
from $5 to $10 will provide additional funds needed for this necessary and
new security objective. 

C.S.H.B. 494 would increase the fee for county courthouse security from $5
to $10. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1: 
Amends Section 291.008(a), Local Government Code, to increase from a limit
of $5 to a limit of $10 that a county commissioner's court could charge at
the time of filing of each civil case in county-level and district courts.

SECTION 2:
Amends Article 102.017(a) and (b), Code of Criminal Procedure, to increase
from $5 to $10 the fee collected from a defendant convicted of a felony
offense in a district court or a misdemeanor offense in a justice court,
county court, county court at law, or district court.  

SECTION 3:  Effective Date and Applicability.


EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 494  amends Article 102.017 (b), Code of Criminal Procedure, to
increase from $5 to $10 the fee collected from a defendant convicted of  a
misdemeanor offense in a justice court, county court, county court at law,
or district court which the defendant is required to pay. HB 494 contained
no such provision.