BILL ANALYSIS
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current law mandates a defendant convicted of a misdemeanor offense in a justice court, county court, county court at law or district court pay a $3 security fee as a cost of the court. This fee is collected by the county or municipal treasurer. This fund can only be used for measures specified in Art. 102.017(d) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
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
HB 1934 amends Article 102.017(b), (d) and (e) and adds a new section (d-1). It increases the security fee to $4 for convictions in justice court. The bill also establishes a "justice court building security fund" by using one dollar of the $4 fee when collected by a court not housed in the county courthouse. The fund is restricted to use for security services for a justice court not housed in the county courthouse.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute amends the heading of Article 102.017 to include "justice court building security fund". The substitute adds a paragraph stating that the subsection dealing with the fund applies only to a justice court in a county where one or more justice courts are located in a building outside the county courthouse.