BILL ANALYSIS
By: Merritt
Border & International Affairs
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law, justice, municipal, and juvenile courts have been allowed to charge a fee of $10 to cover the administration costs associated with teen courts. Additionally, in 1995, a second fee of $10 was authorized to cover the costs associated with administering the Teen Court Program. Inflation and other cost increases have eroded the buying power of the $10 fees. However, the fees have not been increased since their original authorization.
H.B. 2949 authorizes an increase of both fees to $20 for the administration of the Teen Court Programs located in the Texas-Louisiana border region.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the opinion of the committee that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 2949 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to provide that a justice or municipal court located in the Texas-Louisiana border region, as defined by the Government Code, is authorized to charge a fee of $20 for court administration costs and an additional $20 for the Teen Court Program's costs.
Furthermore, this bill amends the Family Code to provide that a juvenile court located in the Texas-Louisiana border region, as defined by the Government Code, is authorized to charge a fee of $20 for court administration costs and an additional $20 for the Teen Court Program's costs.
The bill also provides for the application of this Act.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.