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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of judicial donation trust funds to |
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assist needy children and families appearing before justice and |
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municipal courts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 2, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 36 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 36. JUDICIAL DONATION TRUST FUNDS |
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Sec. 36.001. ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUST FUNDS. (a) The |
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governing body of a municipality or the commissioners court of a |
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county may establish a judicial donation trust fund as a separate |
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account held outside the municipal or county treasury to be used in |
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accordance with this chapter. |
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(b) The governing body of a municipality or the |
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commissioners court of a county may accept a gift, grant, donation, |
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or other consideration from a public or private source that is |
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designated for the judicial donation trust fund. |
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(c) Money received under Subsection (b) shall be deposited |
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in the judicial donation trust fund and may only be disbursed in |
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accordance with this chapter. |
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(d) Interest and income from the assets of the judicial |
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donation trust fund shall be credited to and deposited in the trust |
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fund. |
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Sec. 36.002. PROCEDURES AND ELIGIBILITY. The governing |
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body of a municipality or the commissioners court of a county shall: |
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(1) adopt the procedures necessary to receive and |
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disburse money from the judicial donation trust fund under this |
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chapter; and |
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(2) establish eligibility requirements for |
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disbursement of money under this chapter to assist needy children |
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or families who appear before a municipal or justice court, as |
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applicable, by providing money for resources and services that |
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eliminate barriers to school attendance or that seek to prevent |
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delinquent conduct. |
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Sec. 36.003. USE OF FUNDS IN ACCOUNT. (a) The judge of a |
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justice or municipal court, in accordance with Section 36.002, may |
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award money from a judicial donation trust fund established under |
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Section 36.001 to eligible children or families who appear before |
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the court for a truancy or curfew violation or in another proceeding |
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before the court. |
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(b) A judge of a justice or municipal court may order the |
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municipal or county clerk to issue a warrant from the judicial |
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donation trust fund for money awarded under this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |