S.B. No. 1237
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to referral of disputes for alternative dispute
  resolution, including victim-directed referrals; authorizing a
  fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Section 152.002, Civil Practice
  and Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The commissioners court may do all necessary acts to
  make the alternative dispute resolution system effective,
  including:
               (1)  contracting with a private nonprofit corporation,
  a political subdivision, a public corporation, or a combination of
  these entities for the purpose of administering the system;
               (2)  making reasonable rules relating to the system,
  including rules specifying whether criminal cases may be referred
  to the system; and
               (3)  vesting management of the system in a committee
  selected by the county bar association.
         SECTION 2.  Section 152.003, Civil Practice and Remedies
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 152.003.  REFERRAL OF CASES. (a)  A judge of a district
  court, county court, statutory county court, probate court, or
  justice of the peace court in a county in which an alternative
  dispute resolution system has been established may, on motion of a
  party or on the judge's or justice's own motion, refer a civil or, if
  the system accepts criminal cases and on the request of an attorney
  representing the state, a criminal case to the system regardless of
  whether the defendant in the criminal case has been formally
  charged. Referral under this section does not prejudice the case.
         (b)  Before requesting a referral of a criminal case under
  this section, an attorney representing the state must obtain the
  consent of the victim and the defendant to the referral.
         (c)  A criminal case may not be referred to the system if the
  defendant is charged with or convicted of an offense listed in
  Section 3g(a)(1), Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or
  convicted of an offense, the judgment for which contains an
  affirmative finding under Section 3g(a)(2), Article 42.12, Code of
  Criminal Procedure.
         SECTION 3.  Section 152.006, Civil Practice and Remedies
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 152.006.  FEE FOR ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
  CENTERS.  An entity described by Section 152.002(a) or (b)(1)
  [152.002(b)(1)] that provides services for the resolution of
  disputes [in a county that borders the Gulf of Mexico with a
  population of 250,000 or more but less than 300,000] may collect a
  reasonable fee [in any amount] set by the commissioners court [from
  a person who receives the services.   This section may not be
  construed to affect the collection of a fee by any other entity
  described by Section 152.002(b)(1)].
         SECTION 4.  Chapter 152, Civil Practice and Remedies Code,
  is amended by adding Section 152.007 to read as follows:
         Sec. 152.007.  PARTICIPANT FEE FOR CRIMINAL DISPUTE
  RESOLUTION. (a)  An entity that provides services for the
  resolution of criminal disputes under this chapter may collect a
  reasonable fee set by the commissioners court from a person who
  receives the services, not to exceed $350, except that a fee may not
  be collected from an alleged victim of the crime.
         (b)  Fees collected under this section may be paid on a
  periodic basis or on a deferred payment schedule at the discretion
  of the judge, magistrate, or program director administering the
  pretrial victim-offender mediation program. The fees must be based
  on the defendant's ability to pay.
         SECTION 5.  (a)  The changes in law made by this Act with
  respect to criminal cases apply only to a criminal case in which the
  defendant is arrested for or charged with an offense that occurs on
  or after the effective date of this Act. A criminal case in which
  the defendant is arrested for or charged with an offense that occurs
  before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
  effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is
  continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section,
  an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if
  any element of the offense was committed before that date.
         (b)  The changes in law made by this Act with respect to civil
  cases apply only to a civil case referred to a county alternative
  dispute resolution system on or after the effective date of this
  Act.  A civil case referred before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law applicable to the case immediately before the
  effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in
  effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1237 passed the Senate on
  April 11, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 22, 2013, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1237 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 134,
  Nays 0, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor