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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an additional fee for filing civil cases in certain |
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Rockwall County courts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.709 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.709. ADDITIONAL FILING FEE FOR ROCKWALL COUNTY |
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CIVIL COURTS. (a) In this section, "Rockwall County civil court" |
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means a district court, including a family district court, a |
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probate court, a county court at law, or a justice court in Rockwall |
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County. The term does not include a small claims court. |
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(b) In addition to all other fees authorized or required by |
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other law, the clerk of a Rockwall County civil court shall collect |
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a filing fee of not more than $15 in each civil case filed in the |
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court to be used for the construction, renovation, or improvement |
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of the facilities that house the Rockwall County civil courts. |
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(c) Court fees due under this section shall be collected in |
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the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs are collected in the |
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case. |
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(d) The clerk shall send the fees collected under this |
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section to the county treasurer at least as frequently as monthly. |
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The treasurer shall deposit the fees in a special account in the |
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county treasury dedicated to the construction, renovation, or |
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improvement of the facilities that house the Rockwall County civil |
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courts. |
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(e) This section applies only to fees for a 12-month period |
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beginning July 1, if the commissioners court: |
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(1) adopts a resolution authorizing a fee of no more |
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than $15; |
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(2) files the resolutions with the county treasurer |
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not later than June 1 immediately preceding the first 12-month |
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period during which the fees are to be collected. |
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(f) A resolution adopted under Subsection (e) continues |
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from year to year until July 1, 2025, allowing the county to collect |
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fees under the terms of this section until the resolution is |
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rescinded. |
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(g) The commissioners court may rescind a resolution |
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adopted under Subsection (e) by adopting a resolution rescinding |
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the resolution and submitting the recision resolution to the county |
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treasurer not later than June 1 preceding the beginning of the first |
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day of the county fiscal year. The commissioners court may adopt an |
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additional resolution in the manner provided by Subsection (e) |
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after rescinding a previous resolution under that subsection. |
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(h) A fee established under a particular resolution is |
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abolished on the earlier of: |
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(1) the date a resolution adopted under Subsection (e) |
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is rescinded as provided by Subsection (g); or |
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(2) July 1, 2025. |
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occurs. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2011. |