BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1261

By: Thompson

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to concerned parties, because of changes in technology and the ways municipal courts do business, the cost to update and maintain technology to facilitate the administration of such a court has increased dramatically, and an increase in the fee that supports the municipal court technology fund is needed.  H.B. 1261 seeks to address this concern by increasing the maximum amount of the fee the governing board of a municipality is authorized to impose for purposes of the municipal court technology fund.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1261 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to increase from $4 to $5 the maximum amount the governing board of a municipality is authorized to require a defendant convicted of a misdemeanor offense in a municipal court or municipal court of record to pay as a cost of court for purposes of the municipal court technology fund. 

H.B. 1261 amends the Government Code to make conforming changes to provisions relating to court costs on conviction of a defendant in a municipal court.  The bill exempts the imposition or change in the amount of a court cost paid as a fee for the municipal court technology fund from provisions of law relating to the implementation of new or amended court costs and fees.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.