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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to improving judicial transparency by collecting and |
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publishing data regarding disposition of cases in trial courts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 71.035, Subchapter C, Chapter 71, |
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Government Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 71.035. STATISTICS; ENFORCEMENT BY MANDAMUS. (a) The |
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council shall gather judicial statistics, including case level data |
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describing the amount and character of business conducted, and |
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other pertinent information from the several state judges and other |
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court officials of this state. In addition, the council shall |
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implement a monthly tracking system to ensure accountability for |
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counties and courts which participate in the statewide integrated |
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system for child support, medical support, and dental support |
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enforcement established under Section 231.0011, Family Code. As a |
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duty of office, the district clerks and county clerks serving the |
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affected courts shall report monthly such information as may be |
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required by the council, including, at a minimum, the time required |
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to enforce cases from date of delinquency, from date of filing, and |
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from date of service until date of disposition. Such information as |
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is necessary to complete the report and not directly within the |
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control of the district or county clerk, such as date of |
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delinquency, shall be provided to the clerk by the child support |
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registry or by the enforcement agency providing Title IV-D |
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enforcement services in the court. The monthly report shall be |
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transmitted to the Office of Court Administration of the Texas |
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Judicial System no later than the 20th day of the month following |
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the month reported, in such form as may be prescribed by the Office |
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of Court Administration, which may include electronic data |
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transfer. Copies of such reports shall be maintained in the office |
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of the appropriate district or county clerk for a period of at least |
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two years and shall be available to the public for inspection and |
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reproduction. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Judicial Council shall adopt rules |
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necessary to implement the provisions of this bill. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |