By: Goolsby, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Brimer) H.B. No. 3167
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 19, 2003;
May 20, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on
Intergovernmental Relations; May 23, 2003, reported favorably by
the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 23, 2003, sent to
printer.)
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] $50 [$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) $200, 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.
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