BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2251

By: Raymond

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Article 103.001(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, requires a written bill of itemized court costs to be provided to a defendant in a court other than a justice or municipal court in order for the costs to be payable. In addition, Article 103.009 of that code requires officers of the court to keep a fee record for proceedings. However, neither of these statutes provide for the utilization of computerized case management and financial systems made available to court clerks for the maintenance of bill of cost items and subsequent payments. Although court clerks may maintain a computerized image of the written bill of costs in these case management and financial systems, the individualized cost items are not separately recorded, which results in incomplete financial records. Changes are needed to ensure that billing and recordkeeping requirements for courts can be met by courts that have implemented computerized case and financial management systems. H.B. 2251 provides for these changes.

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. 2251 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require an officer of the court who has been provided a computerized case and financial management system by the county to do the following:

· maintain a computerized fee record in the system; and

· provide the complete computerized fee record in hard-copy form for purposes of making court costs payable by the person charged with the costs.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.