78R2765 KLA-F

By:  Goolsby                                                      H.B. No. 3167



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to filing fees for certain types of actions.                         
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 51.317, Government Code, is amended by 
amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to 
read as follows:
	(a)  The district clerk shall collect at the time the suit or 
action is filed the fees provided by Subsections [Subsection] (b) 
and (b-1) [of this section] for services performed by the clerk.
	(b)  The fees are:                                                             
		(1)  except as provided by Subsection (b-1), for filing 
a suit, including an appeal from an inferior court [and for filing a 
petition for preconviction writ of habeas corpus] $60 [$45]
		(2)  for filing a cross-action, counterclaim, 
intervention, contempt action, motion for new trial, or third-party 
petition  $15
		(3)  for issuing a citation or other writ or process not 
otherwise provided for, including one copy, when requested at the 
time a suit or action is filed  $8
		(4)  for  the  records  management  and preservation 
fund  $5.              
	(b-1)  The fees for filing a suit, including an appeal from 
an inferior court, are:
		(1)  $75, for a suit with at least 11 but not more than 
25 plaintiffs;
		(2)  $100, for a suit with at least 26 but not more than 
100 plaintiffs;
		(3)  $125, for a suit with at least 101 but not more 
than 500 plaintiffs;
		(4)  $150, for a suit with at least 501 but not more 
than 1,000 plaintiffs; and
		(5)  $175, for a suit with more than 1,000 plaintiffs.                 
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.  Section 
51.317(b), Government Code, as amended by this Act, and Section 
51.317(b-1), Government Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a 
fee that becomes due on or after September 1, 2003.