BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 287

By: West

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties point out that a recent study conducted by the Office of Court Administration identified obsolete fees that need to be repealed. S.B. 287 seeks to repeal those fees.

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

S.B. 287 repeals a Code of Criminal Procedure provision authorizing the commissioners court of a county with a population of 3.3 million or more to set court costs not to exceed $7 for each conviction for persons convicted of a Class C misdemeanor in the justice courts.

S.B. 287 repeals a Government Code provision requiring the clerk of a district court to collect a $5 fee for filing an additional petition for appeal or review of an appraisal review board order relating to certain regulated property running through or operating in more than one county after the first petition for review relating to the same property is filed for a tax year. The bill repeals provisions requiring the clerk of a statutory county court or of a county court, as applicable, to collect a $10 fee for a county attorney in a suit regarding a railroad company's failure to keep a roadbed and right-of-way in proper condition.

S.B. 287 repeals a Transportation Code provision entitling a county attorney to a $10 fee for each suit maintained by the county attorney under provisions relating to crossings of public roads by railroad companies.

S.B. 287 repeals a provision of Vernon's Civil Statutes and a provision of the Government Code  requiring a county judge to collect a $2 fee for hearing an application to secure a pension.

S.B. 287 amends the Government Code and the Tax Code to make conforming changes.

S.B. 287 repeals the following provisions:

· Article 102.009, Code of Criminal Procedure

· Sections 101.0617, 101.0817, 101.1216, and 101.122(b), Government Code

· Section 112.059(e), Transportation Code

· Article 6219, Revised Statutes

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.