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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the electronic filing system established by rule or |
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order of the Texas Supreme Court; authorizing fees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 72, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 72.031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 72.031. ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Appellate court" means the supreme court, the |
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court of criminal appeals, or a court of appeals. |
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(2) "Electronic filing system" means the filing system |
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established by supreme court rule or order for the electronic |
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filing of documents in courts of this state. |
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(3) "Electronic filing transaction" means the |
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simultaneous electronic filing of one or more documents related to |
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a proceeding before a court in this state. |
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(4) "Local government" means a county or municipality. |
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(b) The office as authorized by supreme court rule or order |
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may implement an electronic filing system for use in the courts of |
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this state. |
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(c) A local government or appellate court that uses the |
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electronic filing system may charge a fee of $2 for each electronic |
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filing transaction if: |
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(1) the fee is necessary to recover the actual system |
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operating costs directly and reasonably incurred by the local |
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government or appellate court to: |
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(A) accept electronic payment methods; or |
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(B) interface with other technology information |
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systems; |
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(2) the fee does not include an amount to recover local |
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government or appellate court employee costs; |
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(3) the local government or appellate court approves |
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the fee using the local government or appellate court's standard |
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approval process for fee increases; and |
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(4) the chief financial officer of the local |
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government or appellate court annually certifies to the office on a |
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form prescribed by the office that the amount of the fee is |
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necessary to recover the actual system operating costs incurred by |
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the local government or appellate court. |
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(d) A local government or appellate court that uses the |
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electronic filing system may accept electronic payment methods, |
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including payments made with credit and debit cards. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |