| TO: | Honorable Garnet Coleman, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1233 by West (Relating to the promotion of efficiencies in and the administration of certain county services and functions.), As Engrossed |
The bill would amend portions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Election Code, the Local Government Code and the Government Code relating to the administration of certain county services and functions. The bill would allow for videoconferencing in various court proceedings and allows certain inmates to submit a misdemeanor guilty or nolo contendere plea in writing. The bill would allow the clerk of a district court to collect up to $1 per page for an electronic certified copy of a record, judgment, order, pleading, or paper on file. To the extent the bill would amend court procedures, no significant impact to judicial workloads or fiscal implication to the state is anticipated. To the extent the bill would amend court procedures, no significant impact to judicial workloads or fiscal implication to the state is anticipated. The bill would take immediate effect if the bill receives two-thirds the vote of all members in both houses. Otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2011.
The bill would authorize the governing body of a county to make a report about items of community interest during a meeting without having given notice of the subject of the report. The bill also would authorize the commissioners court of any county to conduct a closed meeting to deliberate business and financial issues relating to a contract being negotiated. The bill would authorize a self-insuring country to require reimbursement for the provision of punitive damage coverage from a person in which the county provides coverage. The bill would change certain procedure involving the marketing, selling, and licensing of computer software. The bill would require a county to provide additional data to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs on the sale of foreclosed property in the county.
The bill would repeal Sections 86.033 and 112.008 of the Local Government Code.
The bill would allow for the use of videoconferencing in various proceedings and allow the clerk of a district court to collect up to $1 per page for an electronic certified copy of a record, judgment, order, pleading, or paper on file.
Use of videoconferencing is a potential cost-saving measure for counties who would otherwise have to pay for transportation for officers and inmates. The $1 fee for an electronic certified copy of a record will generate revenue for the county. However, the fiscal impact of these provisions is not anticipated to be significant.
According the Texas Association of Counties (TAC), the bill would have no significant fiscal impact to counties.
| Source Agencies: | 332 Department of Housing and Community Affairs
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KKR, TP
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