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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the supreme court's adoption of rules on the electronic |
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filing of documents in civil cases in justice of the peace courts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 22.004, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: |
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(f) The supreme court shall adopt rules governing the |
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electronic filing of documents in civil cases in justice of the |
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peace courts. The rules the court adopts under this subsection |
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must: |
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(1) be similar to local rules the court has approved |
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under Rule 3a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, that permit the |
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electronic filing of documents in other courts; and |
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(2) provide that electronic filing of documents is at |
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the option of a party to the case, unless the court orders the |
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electronic filing. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2008, the supreme court |
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shall adopt the rules required by Section 22.004(f), Government |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |