83R9164 AJA-F
 
  By: Schwertner S.B. No. 1237
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to referral of disputes for alternative dispute
  resolution, including victim-directed referrals; authorizing a
  fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 152.003, Civil Practice and Remedies
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 152.003.  REFERRAL OF CASES. (a) A judge of a district
  court, county court, statutory county court, probate court, or
  justice of the peace court in a county in which an alternative
  dispute resolution system has been established may, on motion of a
  party or on the judge's or justice's own motion, refer a civil or, on
  the request of an attorney representing the state, a criminal case
  to the system regardless of whether the defendant in the criminal
  case has been formally charged. Referral under this section does
  not prejudice the case.
         (b)  Before requesting a referral of a criminal case under
  this section, an attorney representing the state must obtain the
  consent of the victim to the referral.
         SECTION 2.  Section 152.006, Civil Practice and Remedies
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 152.006.  FEE FOR ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
  CENTERS.  An entity described by Section 152.002(a) or (b)(1)
  [152.002(b)(1)] that provides services for the resolution of
  disputes [in a county that borders the Gulf of Mexico with a
  population of 250,000 or more but less than 300,000] may collect a
  reasonable fee [in any amount] set by the commissioners court [from
  a person who receives the services.     This section may not be
  construed to affect the collection of a fee by any other entity
  described by Section 152.002(b)(1)].
         SECTION 3.  Chapter 152, Civil Practice and Remedies Code,
  is amended by adding Section 152.007 to read as follows:
         Sec. 152.007.  PARTICIPANT FEE FOR CRIMINAL DISPUTE
  RESOLUTION. (a) An entity that provides services for the
  resolution of criminal disputes under this chapter may collect a
  reasonable fee set by the commissioners court from a person who
  receives the services, not to exceed $350, except that a fee may not
  be collected from an alleged victim of the crime.
         (b)  If the referring court determines that a participant in
  services described by Subsection (a) has the financial resources to
  enable the participant to offset in part or in whole the costs of
  legal services provided to the participant under Article 26.04,
  Code of Criminal Procedure, in connection with the criminal dispute
  resolution, including any expenses and costs, the court may order
  the participant to reimburse the county in which the referral was
  made an amount that the court finds the participant is able to pay.
         SECTION 4.  Section 154.021, Civil Practice and Remedies
  Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
         (d)  Except as provided by Section 152.003 of this code or
  Article 26.13(g), Code of Criminal Procedure, a court may not refer
  a criminal case for alternative dispute resolution.
         SECTION 5.  (a) The changes in law made by this Act with
  respect to criminal cases apply only to a criminal case in which the
  defendant is arrested for or charged with an offense that occurs on
  or after the effective date of this Act. A criminal case in which
  the defendant is arrested for or charged with an offense that occurs
  before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
  effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is
  continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section,
  an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if
  any element of the offense was committed before that date.
         (b)  The changes in law made by this Act with respect to civil
  cases apply only to a civil case referred to a county alternative
  dispute resolution system on or after the effective date of this
  Act. A civil case referred before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law applicable to the case immediately before the
  effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in
  effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.