BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 2949

                                                                                                                                          By: Merritt

                                                                                                           Border & International Affairs

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

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.