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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the imposition of an additional fee for filing civil |
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cases in certain Kaufman County courts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.712 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.712. ADDITIONAL FILING FEE FOR CIVIL CASES IN |
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KAUFMAN COUNTY. (a) This section applies only to district courts, |
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statutory probate courts, county courts at law, and justice courts |
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in Kaufman County. |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by this section and in |
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addition to all other fees authorized or required by other law, the |
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clerk of a court shall collect a filing fee of not more than $15 in |
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each civil case filed in the court to be used for the construction, |
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renovation, or improvement of the facilities that house the Kaufman |
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courts collecting the fee. |
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(c) Court fees due under this section shall be collected in |
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the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs are collected in the |
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case. |
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(d) The clerk shall send the fees collected under this |
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section to the county treasurer or to any other official who |
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discharges the duties commonly assigned to the county treasurer at |
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least as frequently as monthly. The treasurer or other official |
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shall deposit the fees in a special account in the county treasury |
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dedicated to the construction, renovation, or improvement of the |
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facilities that house the courts collecting the fee. |
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(e) This section applies only to fees for a 12-month period |
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beginning July 1, if the commissioners court: |
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(1) adopts a resolution authorizing a fee of not more |
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than $15; and |
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(2) files the resolution with the county treasurer or |
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with any other official who discharges the duties commonly assigned |
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to the county treasurer not later than June 1 immediately preceding |
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the first 12-month period during which the fees are to be collected. |
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(f) A resolution adopted under Subsection (e) continues |
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from year to year until July 1, 2030, allowing the county to collect |
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fees under the terms of this section until the resolution is |
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rescinded. |
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(g) The commissioners court may rescind a resolution |
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adopted under Subsection (e) by adopting a resolution rescinding |
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the resolution and submitting the rescission resolution to the |
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county treasurer or to any other official who discharges the duties |
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commonly assigned to the county treasurer not later than June 1 |
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preceding the beginning of the first day of the county fiscal year. |
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The commissioners court may adopt an additional resolution in the |
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manner provided by Subsection (e) after rescinding a previous |
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resolution under that subsection. |
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(h) A fee established under a particular resolution is |
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abolished on the earlier of: |
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(1) the date a resolution adopted under Subsection (e) |
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is rescinded as provided by Subsection (g); or |
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(2) July 1, 2030. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 101, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 101.061193 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 101.061193. ADDITIONAL DISTRICT COURT FEES FOR COURT |
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FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a district court in |
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Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of not more |
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than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil cases to |
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fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of court |
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facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 101, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 101.081196 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 101.081196. ADDITIONAL STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES FOR |
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COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory county |
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court in Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of |
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not more than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil |
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cases to fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of court |
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facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter F, Chapter 101, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 101.101191 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 101.101191. ADDITIONAL STATUTORY PROBATE COURT FEES |
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FOR COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory |
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probate court in Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing |
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fee of not more than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in |
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civil cases to fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of |
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court facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter H, Chapter 101, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 101.143 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 101.143. ADDITIONAL JUSTICE COURT FEE FOR COURT |
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FACILITIES COLLECTED BY CLERK. The clerk of a justice court in |
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Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of not more |
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than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil cases to |
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fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of court |
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facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |