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AN ACT
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relating to court reporter service fees in certain counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.601, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the clerk of each |
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court that has an official court reporter and that serves a county |
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located on the Texas-Mexico border that contains a municipality |
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with a population of 500,000 or more shall collect a court reporter |
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service fee of $30 as a court cost in each civil case filed with the |
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clerk to maintain a court reporter who is available for assignment |
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in the court. |
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SECTION 2. Section 103.0211, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 103.0211. ADDITIONAL FEES AND COSTS IN CRIMINAL OR |
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CIVIL CASES: GOVERNMENT CODE. An accused or defendant, or a party |
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to a civil suit, as applicable, shall pay the following fees and |
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costs under the Government Code if ordered by the court or otherwise |
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required: |
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(1) a court reporter fee when testimony is taken: |
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(A) in a criminal court in Dallas County (Sec. |
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25.0593, Government Code) . . . $3; |
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(B) in a county criminal court of appeals in |
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Dallas County (Sec. 25.0594, Government Code) . . . $3; |
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(C) in a county court at law in McLennan County |
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(Sec. 25.1572, Government Code) . . . $3; and |
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(D) in a county criminal court in Tarrant County |
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(Sec. 25.2223, Government Code) . . . $3; |
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(2) a court reporter service fee if the courts have |
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official court reporters (Sec. 51.601, Government Code) . . . $15 |
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or, in specified counties, $30; |
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(3) a speedy trial filing fee in El Paso County (Sec. |
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54.745, Government Code) . . . $100; |
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(4) costs for use of magistrate in Brazos County (Sec. |
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54.1116, Government Code) . . . not to exceed $50; |
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(5) the costs of a criminal magistrate if the court |
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determines that the nonprevailing party is able to defray the |
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costs: |
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(A) in Bexar County (Sec. 54.913, Government |
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Code) . . . magistrate's fees; |
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(B) in Dallas County (Sec. 54.313, Government |
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Code) . . . magistrate's fees; |
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(C) in Lubbock County (Sec. 54.883, Government |
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Code) . . . magistrate's fees; |
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(D) in Tarrant County (Sec. 54.663, Government |
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Code) . . . magistrate's fees; |
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(E) in Travis County (Sec. 54.983, Government |
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Code) . . . magistrate's fees; and |
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(F) in Williamson County (Sec. 54.958, |
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Government Code) . . . expense of the magistrate; |
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(6) an administrative fee for participation in certain |
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community supervision programs (Sec. 76.015, Government Code) . . . |
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not less than $25 and not more than $40 per month; and |
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(7) fee paid on filing a petition for an order of |
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nondisclosure of criminal history record information in certain |
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cases (Sec. 411.081, Government Code) . . . $28. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a case filed with the clerk of a court that has an official court |
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reporter on or after the effective date of this Act. A case filed |
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with the clerk of the court before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective |
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date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 4529 was passed by the House on April |
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28, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 149, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 4529 was passed by the Senate on May |
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23, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: _____________________ |
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Date |
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_____________________ |
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Governor |