BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1442

By: Fletcher

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law requires fees collected by a county bail bond board to be deposited in the county general fund and be used only for certain purposes, including reimbursement of certain board expenses.  Concerned parties report that since bail bond fees are commingled with other funds in the general fund, it becomes very cumbersome to account for bail bond revenues and to determine board expenses.  H.B. 1442 seeks to resolve this problem by amending current law relating to the handling of fees collected by a county bail board.

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. 1442 amends the Occupations Code to authorize a county bail bond board to deposit fees collected under provisions relating to the regulation of bail bond sureties in a separate county fund established for such purpose as an alternative to depositing the fees in the general fund of the county.  The bill authorizes a county that establishes such a separate county fund to transfer fees previously collected and deposited in the county's general fund to the separate fund.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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