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Amend CSSB 978 as follows:
(1) Strike SECTION 1 of the bill (committee printing, page
1, line 12, through page 2, line 18) and substitute the following:
SECTION 1. Chapter 103, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Article 103.0033 to read as follows:
Art. 103.0033. COLLECTION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. (a) In
this article:
(1) "Office" means the Office of Court Administration
of the Texas Judicial System.
(2) "Program" means the program to improve the
collection of court costs, fees, and fines imposed in criminal
cases, as developed and implemented under this article.
(b) This article applies only to:
(1) a county with a population of 50,000 or greater;
and
(2) a municipality with a population of 100,000 or
greater.
(c) Unless granted a waiver under Subsection (h), each
county and municipality shall develop and implement a program that
complies with the prioritized implementation schedule under
Subsection (h). A county program must include district, county,
and justice courts.
(d) The program must consist of:
(1) a component that conforms with a model developed
by the office and designed to improve in-house collections through
application of best practices; and
(2) a component designed to improve collection of
balances more than 60 days past due, which may be implemented by
entering into a contract with a private attorney or public or
private vendor in accordance with Article 103.0031.
(e) Not later than June 1 of each year, the office shall
identify those counties and municipalities that:
(1) have not implemented a program; and
(2) are able to implement a program before April 1 of
the following year.
(f) The comptroller, in cooperation with the office, shall
develop a methodology for determining the collection rate of
counties and municipalities described by Subsection (e) before
implementation of a program. The comptroller shall determine the
rate for each county and municipality not later than the first
anniversary of the county's or municipality's adoption of a
program.
(g) The office shall:
(1) make available on the office's Internet website
requirements for a program; and
(2) assist counties and municipalities in
implementing a program by providing training and consultation,
except that the office may not provide employees for implementation
of a program.
(h) The office, in consultation with the comptroller, may:
(1) use case dispositions, population, revenue data,
or other appropriate measures to develop a prioritized
implementation schedule for programs; and
(2) determine whether it is not cost-effective to
implement a program in a county or municipality and grant a waiver
to the county or municipality.
(i) Each county and municipality shall at least annually
submit to the office and the comptroller a written report that
includes updated information regarding the program, as determined
by the office in cooperation with the comptroller. The report must
be in a form approved by the office in cooperation with the
comptroller.
(j) The comptroller shall periodically audit counties and
municipalities to verify information reported under Subsection (i)
and confirm that the county or municipality is conforming with
requirements relating to the program. The comptroller shall
consult with the office in determining how frequently to conduct
audits under this section.
(2) In SECTION 2 of the bill, in proposed Subsection (e),
Section 133.058, Local Government Code (committee printing, page 2,
lines 23, 25, and 29), strike "103.0032" each place it appears and
substitute "103.0033".
(3) In SECTION 3 of the bill, in proposed Subsection (c-1),
Section 133.103, Local Government Code (committee printing, page 2,
lines 47, 49, and 53), strike "103.0032" each place it appears and
substitute "103.0033".
(4) In Subsection (a), SECTION 4, of the bill (committee
printing, page 2, lines 55-56 and 63), strike "Subsection (d),
Article 103.0032" each place it appears and substitute "Subsection
(e), Article 103.0033".
(5) In Subsection (a), SECTION 4, of the bill (committee
printing, page 2, line 60), strike "103.0032" and substitute
"103.0033".
(6) In Subsection (b), SECTION 4, of the bill (committee
printing, page 2, line 68), strike "103.0032" and substitute
"103.0033".
(7) In Subsection (b), SECTION 4, of the bill (committee
printing, page 2, line 69), strike "(f)" and substitute "(g)".