BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1062

By: Lucio III

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that new federal regulations will require all governmental records to be maintained in an e-filing system and that certain counties, such as Cameron County, seek to integrate the software needs of all of the county's offices into one centralized computer software system. There is concern that due to current budget constraints the county will not be able to cover the costs associated with the implementation and maintenance of the integrated computer software system and the parties assert that a technology fee would provide the needed county funds. H.B. 1062 seeks to address these concerns.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 1062 amends the Local Government Code to authorize the commissioners court of a county that borders the United Mexican States and the Gulf of Mexico to adopt a $2 records technology and infrastructure fee as part of the county's annual budget. The bill requires the fee to be set and itemized in the county's budget as part of the budget preparation process. The bill requires the fee to be paid at the time a person pays an applicable records management and preservation fee, county clerk's records archive fee, or probate matters fee. The bill requires the records technology and infrastructure fee to be deposited in a separate records technology and infrastructure account in the county's general fund and specifies that any interest accrued remains with the account. The bill limits the use of funds generated from the collection of the fee to technology and infrastructure for the maintenance of county records and the operation of the county records system. The bill subjects the fee to approval by the commissioners court in a public meeting during the budget process.

H.B. 1062 amends the Government Code to make a conforming change.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.