BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1196

By: Clardy

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A former Texas Legislature created a mandatory collection improvement program for Texas counties with a population of 50,000 or greater to improve the collection of court costs, fees, and fines imposed in criminal cases. The applicable counties must develop and implement a program that consists of a component designed to improve in-house collections for eligible cases and a component designed to improve the collection of certain past-due balances for eligible cases, which may be implemented by entering into a contract with a private attorney or public or private vendor. Interested parties assert that counties being able to contract with a third-party collection service company for services involving both of these components may lead to a more effective and efficient local government.

H.B. 1196 seeks to exempt a certain county with a population of less than 55,000 from the mandatory collection improvement program.

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. 1196 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to exempt a county with a population of less than 55,000 that contains a hospital owned and operated by the state from statutory provisions requiring certain counties to develop and implement a program to improve the collection of court costs, fees, and fines imposed in criminal cases.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.