79R12429 KCR-D
By: Orr, Hegar H.B. No. 3017
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3017:
By: Mowery C.S.H.B. No. 3017
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the procedure for initiating and the award of certain
costs in eminent domain proceedings.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.0111, Property Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
follows:
(a) An [A governmental] entity described by Section
21.012(a) with eminent domain authority that wants to acquire real
property for a public use shall perform an appraisal of the property
before an offer to purchase is made and shall disclose to the
property owner at the time an offer to purchase is made any and all
existing appraisal reports produced or acquired by the
[governmental] entity relating specifically to the owner's
property and used in determining the final valuation offer, unless
the property to be acquired is less than 2,000 square feet in area,
in which case an appraisal must be performed only at the request of
the property owner. For the purposes of this subsection, an
appraisal performed or an existing appraisal report disclosed under
this subsection must appraise the specific real property and real
property rights the entity wants to condemn and is not sufficient if
the appraisal or report is a generalized valuation of similarly
situated property to be acquired by the entity. The appraisal must
also consider the effect of the proposed condemnation on the value
of any portion of the property not condemned.
(a-1) An offer to purchase made under Subsection (a) may not
include an offer for any real property or real property rights that
the condemning entity does not have the authority and intention to
acquire through condemnation.
SECTION 2. Section 21.012, Property Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) For purposes of this section, if a condemning entity and
a property owner are unable to agree on the damages, evidence that
the condemning entity's offer to purchase was based on an appraisal
performed in accordance with Section 21.0111(a) is prima facie
evidence that the offer to purchase and the resulting negotiations
were conducted in good faith.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 21, Property Code, is
amended by adding Section 21.066 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.066. ASSESSMENT OF COSTS AND ATTORNEY'S FEES. (a)
If a court hearing a suit under this chapter finds that the
condemning entity did not make the offer to purchase or engage in
the resulting negotiations in good faith, the court may order the
condemning entity to pay all costs of defending against the
condemning entity's exercise of eminent domain under this chapter,
including any reasonable attorney's and expert witness's fees
incurred by the property owner.
(b) An award of fees under this section, in the aggregate,
may not exceed $250,000.
SECTION 4. Section 101.061, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 101.061. DISTRICT COURT FEES AND COSTS. The clerk of
a district court shall collect fees and costs as follows:
(1) filing fee in action with respect to a fraudulent
court record or fraudulent lien or claim filed against property
(Sec. 12.005, Civil Practice and Remedies Code) . . . $15;
(2) fee for service of notice of action with respect to
a fraudulent court record or fraudulent lien or claim filed against
property (Sec. 12.005, Civil Practice and Remedies Code) . . . not
to exceed $20, if notice delivered in person, or the cost of
postage, if service is by registered or certified mail;
(3) court cost in certain civil cases to establish and
maintain an alternative dispute resolution system, if authorized by
the county commissioners court (Sec. 152.004, Civil Practice and
Remedies Code) . . . not to exceed $10;
(4) appellate judicial system filing fees for:
(A) First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals District
(Sec. 22.2021, Government Code) . . . not more than $5;
(B) Second Court of Appeals District (Sec.
22.2031, Government Code) . . . not more than $5;
(C) Fourth Court of Appeals District (Sec.
22.2051, Government Code) . . . not more than $5;
(D) Fifth Court of Appeals District (Sec.
22.2061, Government Code) . . . not more than $5; and
(E) Thirteenth Court of Appeals District (Sec.
22.2141, Government Code) . . . not more than $5;
(5) additional filing fees:
(A) for each suit filed for insurance contingency
fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec. 51.302,
Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
(B) for each civil suit filed, for court-related
purposes for the support of the judiciary and for civil legal
services to an indigent:
(i) for family law cases and proceedings as
defined by Section 25.0002, Government Code (Sec. 133.151, Local
Government Code) . . . $45; or
(ii) for any case other than a case
described by Subparagraph (i) (Sec. 133.151, Local Government
Code) . . . $50;
(C) to fund the improvement of Dallas County
civil court facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners
court (Sec. 51.705, Government Code) . . . not more than $15; and
(D) on the filing of any civil action or
proceeding requiring a filing fee, including an appeal, and on the
filing of any counterclaim, cross-action, intervention,
interpleader, or third-party action requiring a filing fee, to fund
civil legal services for the indigent:
(i) for family law cases and proceedings as
defined by Section 25.0002, Government Code (Sec. 133.152, Local
Government Code) . . . $5; or
(ii) for any case other than a case
described by Subparagraph (i) (Sec. 133.152, Local Government
Code) . . . $10;
(6) for filing a suit, including an appeal from an
inferior court:
(A) for a suit with 10 or fewer plaintiffs (Sec.
51.317, Government Code) . . . $50;
(B) for a suit with at least 11 but not more than
25 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code) . . . $75;
(C) for a suit with at least 26 but not more than
100 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code) . . . $100;
(D) for a suit with at least 101 but not more
than 500 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code) . . . $125;
(E) for a suit with at least 501 but not more than
1,000 plaintiffs (Sec. 51.317, Government Code) . . . $150; or
(F) for a suit with more than 1,000 plaintiffs
(Sec. 51.317, Government Code) . . . $200;
(7) for filing a cross-action, counterclaim,
intervention, contempt action, motion for new trial, or third-party
petition (Sec. 51.317, Government Code) . . . $15;
(8) 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 (Sec. 51.317, Government
Code) . . . $8;
(9) for records management and preservation (Sec.
51.317, Government Code) . . . $10;
(10) for issuing a subpoena, including one copy (Sec.
51.318, Government Code) . . . $8;
(11) for issuing a citation, commission for
deposition, writ of execution, order of sale, writ of execution and
order of sale, writ of injunction, writ of garnishment, writ of
attachment, or writ of sequestration not provided for in Section
51.317, or any other writ or process not otherwise provided for,
including one copy if required by law (Sec. 51.318, Government
Code) . . . $8;
(12) for searching files or records to locate a cause
when the docket number is not provided (Sec. 51.318, Government
Code) . . . $5;
(13) for searching files or records to ascertain the
existence of an instrument or record in the district clerk's office
(Sec. 51.318, Government Code) . . . $5;
(14) for abstracting a judgment (Sec. 51.318,
Government Code) . . . $8;
(15) for approving a bond (Sec. 51.318, Government
Code) . . . $4;
(16) for a certified copy of a record, judgment,
order, pleading, or paper on file or of record in the district
clerk's office, including certificate and seal, for each page or
part of a page (Sec. 51.318, Government Code) . . . $1;
(17) for a noncertified copy, for each page or part of
a page (Sec. 51.318, Government Code) . . . not to exceed $1;
(18) jury fee (Sec. 51.604, Government
Code) . . . $30;
(19) for filing a report of divorce or annulment (Sec.
194.002, Health and Safety Code) . . . $1;
(20) for filing a suit in Comal County (Sec. 152.0522,
Human Resources Code) . . . $4;
(21) additional filing fee for family protection on
filing a suit for dissolution of a marriage under Chapter 6, Family
Code, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec. 51.961,
Government Code) . . . not to exceed $15;
(22) fee on filing a suit for dissolution of a marriage
for services of child support department in Harris County, if
authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec. 152.1074, Human
Resources Code) . . . not to exceed $12;
(23) fee on filing a suit requesting an adoption in
Montague County (Sec. 152.1752, Human Resources Code) . . . $25;
(24) court cost on citation for contempt of court for
failure to comply with child support order in Nueces County, if
authorized by the commissioners court (Sec. 152.1844, Human
Resources Code) . . . not to exceed $10;
(25) fee on filing a suit for divorce in Orange County
(Sec. 152.1873, Human Resources Code) . . . not less than $5;
(26) court costs on citation for contempt of court in
Orange County for failure to comply with a child support order or
order providing for possession of or access to a child (Sec.
152.1873, Human Resources Code) . . . amount determined by
district clerk;
(27) fee on filing a suit requesting an adoption in
Orange County (Sec. 152.1874, Human Resources Code) . . . not less
than $25;
(28) fee on filing a suit requesting an adoption in
Wichita County (Sec. 152.2496, Human Resources Code) . . . $100;
(29) additional filing fee to fund the courthouse
security fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court
(Sec. 291.008, Local Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
(30) additional filing fee for filing documents not
subject to certain filing fees to fund the courthouse security
fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec.
291.008, Local Government Code) . . . $1;
(31) additional filing fee to fund the courthouse
security fund in Webb County, if authorized by the county
commissioners court (Sec. 291.009, Local Government
Code) . . . not to exceed $20;
(32) court cost in civil cases other than suits for
delinquent taxes to fund the county law library fund, if authorized
by the county commissioners court (Sec. 323.023, Local Government
Code) . . . not to exceed $35;
(33) when administering a case for the Rockwall County
Court at Law (Sec. 25.2012, Government Code) . . . civil fees and
court costs as if the case had been filed in district court;
(34) at a hearing held by an associate judge in Dallas
County, a court cost to preserve the record, in the absence of a
court reporter, by other means (Sec. 54.509, Government
Code) . . . as assessed by the referring court or associate judge;
[and]
(35) at a hearing held by an associate judge in Duval
County, a court cost to preserve the record (Sec. 54.1151,
Government Code, as added by Chapter 1150, Acts of the 78th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2003) . . . as imposed by the
referring court or associate judge; and
(36) court costs and attorney's and expert witness's
fees in an eminent domain proceeding (Sec. 21.066, Property
Code) . . . as taxed by the court and reasonable, respectively.
SECTION 5. Section 101.081, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 101.081. STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES AND COSTS. The
clerk of a statutory county court shall collect fees and costs as
follows:
(1) court cost in certain civil cases to establish and
maintain an alternative dispute resolution system, if authorized by
the county commissioners court (Sec. 152.004, Civil Practice and
Remedies Code) . . . not to exceed $10;
(2) appellate judicial system filing fees:
(A) First or Fourteenth Court of Appeals District
(Sec. 22.2021, Government Code) . . . not more than $5;
(B) Second Court of Appeals District (Sec.
22.2031, Government Code) . . . not more than $5;
(C) Fourth Court of Appeals District (Sec.
22.2051, Government Code) . . . not more than $5;
(D) Fifth Court of Appeals District (Sec.
22.2061, Government Code) . . . not more than $5; and
(E) Thirteenth Court of Appeals District (Sec.
22.2141, Government Code) . . . not more than $5;
(3) an official court reporter fee, County Court at
Law No. 2 of Bexar County (Sec. 25.0172, Government Code) . . . $3;
(4) a court reporter fee when testimony is taken in a
county court at law in McLennan County (Sec. 25.1572, Government
Code) . . . $3;
(5) a stenographer fee, if a record or part of a record
is made:
(A) in a county court at law in Hidalgo County
(Sec. 25.1102, Government Code) . . . $20; and
(B) in a county court at law in Nolan County (Sec.
25.1792, Government Code) . . . $25;
(6) jury fee (Sec. 51.604, Government
Code) . . . $22;
(7) an additional filing fee:
(A) for each civil case filed to be used for
court-related purposes for the support of the judiciary, if
authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec. 51.702,
Government Code) . . . $40;
(B) to fund the improvement of Dallas County
civil court facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners
court (Sec. 51.705, Government Code) . . . not more than $15; and
(C) for filing any civil action or proceeding
requiring a filing fee, including an appeal, and on the filing of
any counterclaim, cross-action, intervention, interpleader, or
third-party action requiring a filing fee, to fund civil legal
services for the indigent (Sec. 133.153, Local Government
Code) . . . $5;
(8) for filing an application for registration of
death (Sec. 193.007, Health and Safety Code) . . . $1;
(9) fee for judge's services on an application for
court-ordered mental health services (Sec. 574.031, Health and
Safety Code) . . . not to exceed $50;
(10) fee for prosecutor's services on an application
for court-ordered mental health services (Sec. 574.031, Health and
Safety Code) . . . not to exceed $50;
(11) for filing a suit in Comal County (Sec. 152.0522,
Human Resources Code) . . . $4;
(12) additional filing fee to fund contingency fund
for liability insurance, if authorized by the county commissioners
court (Sec. 82.003, Local Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
(13) civil court actions (Sec. 118.052, Local
Government Code):
(A) filing of original action (Secs. 118.052 and
118.053, Local Government Code):
(i) garnishment after judgment (Sec.
118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $15; and
(ii) all others (Sec. 118.052, Local
Government Code) . . . $40;
(B) filing of action other than original (Secs.
118.052 and 118.054, Local Government Code) . . . $30; and
(C) services rendered after judgment in original
action (Secs. 118.052 and 118.0545, Local Government Code):
(i) abstract of judgment (Sec. 118.052,
Local Government Code) . . . $5; and
(ii) execution, order of sale, writ, or
other process (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
(14) probate court actions (Sec. 118.052, Local
Government Code):
(A) probate original action (Secs. 118.052 and
118.055, Local Government Code):
(i) probate of a will with independent
executor, administration with will attached, administration of an
estate, guardianship or receivership of an estate, or muniment of
title (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40;
(ii) community survivors (Sec. 118.052,
Local Government Code) . . . $40;
(iii) small estates (Sec. 118.052, Local
Government Code) . . . $40;
(iv) declarations of heirship (Sec.
118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40;
(v) mental health or chemical dependency
services (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $40; and
(vi) additional, special fee (Secs. 118.052
and 118.064, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
(B) services in pending probate action (Secs.
118.052 and 118.056, Local Government Code):
(i) filing an inventory and appraisement
after the 120th day after the date of the initial filing of the
action (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $25;
(ii) approving and recording bond (Sec.
118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $3;
(iii) administering oath (Sec. 118.052,
Local Government Code) . . . $2;
(iv) filing annual or final account of
estate (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $25;
(v) filing application for sale of real or
personal property (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $25;
and
(vi) filing annual or final report of
guardian of a person (Sec. 118.052, Local Government
Code) . . . $10;
(C) adverse probate action (Secs. 118.052 and
118.057, Local Government Code) . . . $40; and
(D) claim against estate (Secs. 118.052 and
118.058, Local Government Code) . . . $2;
(15) other fees (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code):
(A) issuing document (Secs. 118.052 and 118.059,
Local Government Code):
(i) original document and one copy (Sec.
118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $4; and
(ii) each additional set of an original and
one copy (Sec. 118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $4;
(B) certified papers (Secs. 118.052 and 118.060,
Local Government Code):
(i) for the clerk's certificate (Sec.
118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $5; and
(ii) a fee per page or part of a page (Sec.
118.052, Local Government Code) . . . $1;
(C) noncertified papers, for each page or part of
a page (Secs. 118.052 and 118.0605, Local Government
Code) . . . $1;
(D) letters testamentary, letter of
guardianship, letter of administration, or abstract of judgment
(Secs. 118.052 and 118.061, Local Government Code) . . . $2;
(E) safekeeping of wills (Secs. 118.052 and
118.062, Local Government Code) . . . $5;
(F) mail service of process (Secs. 118.052 and
118.063, Local Government Code) . . . same as sheriff; and
(G) records management and preservation fee
(Secs. 118.052, 118.0546, and 118.0645, Local Government
Code) . . . $5;
(16) additional filing fee to fund the courthouse
security fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court
(Sec. 291.008, Local Government Code) . . . not to exceed $5;
(17) additional filing fee for filing documents not
subject to certain filing fees to fund the courthouse security
fund, if authorized by the county commissioners court (Sec.
291.008, Local Government Code) . . . $1;
(18) additional filing fee to fund the courthouse
security fund in Webb County, if authorized by the county
commissioners court (Sec. 291.009, Local Government
Code) . . . not to exceed $20;
(19) court cost in civil cases other than suits for
delinquent taxes to fund the county law library fund, if authorized
by the county commissioners court (Sec. 323.023, Local Government
Code) . . . not to exceed $35;
(20) fee for deposit of a will with the county clerk
during testator's lifetime (Sec. 71, Texas Probate Code) . . . $3;
(21) court cost for each special commissioner in an
eminent domain proceeding (Sec. 21.047, Property Code) . . . as
taxed by the court, $10 or more; [and]
(21-a) court costs and attorney's and expert witness's
fees in an eminent domain proceeding (Sec. 21.066, Property
Code) . . . as taxed by the court and reasonable, respectively; and
(22) fee for county attorney in a suit regarding a
railroad company's failure to keep roadbed and right-of-way in
proper condition (Art. 6327, Vernon's Texas Civil
Statutes) . . . $10.
SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to a condemnation proceeding initiated on or after the effective
date of this Act. A condemnation proceeding initiated before the
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at the
time the proceeding was initiated, and that law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.