84R7129 AJZ-D
 
  By: Hall S.B. No. 714
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the authority of the governing body of a local authority
  to impose a civil penalty for certain violations recorded by an
  automated traffic control system or a photographic traffic signal
  enforcement system.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 542.2035, Transportation Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 542.2035.  PROHIBITING AUTOMATED TRAFFIC CONTROL
  SYSTEMS [LIMITATION ON MUNICIPALITIES].  (a)  A local authority 
  [municipality] may not implement or operate an automated traffic
  control system with respect to a highway or street under its
  jurisdiction [for the purpose of enforcing compliance with posted
  speed limits].  The attorney general shall enforce this subsection.
         (b)  In this section, "automated traffic control system"
  means a system consisting of a photographic device, radar device,
  laser device, or other electrical or mechanical device that 
  [designed to]:
               (1)  is capable of producing one or more recorded
  photographic or digital images depicting the license plate attached
  to the front or rear of a motor vehicle that is not operated in
  compliance with a posted speed limit or the instructions of a
  traffic-control signal; and
               (2)  is used by the local authority to enforce
  compliance with a posted speed limit or the instructions of a
  traffic-control signal by imposition of a civil or administrative
  penalty against the owner or operator of the motor vehicle [record
  the speed of a motor vehicle; and
               [(2)     obtain one or more photographs or other recorded
  images of:
                     [(A)  the vehicle;
                     [(B)     the license plate attached to the vehicle;
  or
                     [(C)  the operator of the vehicle].
         SECTION 2.  Section 27.031(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  In addition to the jurisdiction and powers provided by
  the constitution and other law, the justice court has original
  jurisdiction of:
               (1)  civil matters in which exclusive jurisdiction is
  not in the district or county court and in which the amount in
  controversy is not more than $10,000, exclusive of interest;
               (2)  cases of forcible entry and detainer; and
               (3)  foreclosure of mortgages and enforcement of liens
  on personal property in cases in which the amount in controversy is
  otherwise within the justice court's jurisdiction[; and
               [(4)     cases arising under Chapter 707, Transportation
  Code, outside a municipality's territorial limits].
         SECTION 3.  Section 133.004, Local Government Code, as
  amended by Chapters 718 (H.B. 2359), 1027 (H.B. 1623), and 1149
  (S.B. 1119), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007,
  is reenacted and amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 133.004.  CIVIL FEES.  This chapter applies to the
  following civil fees:
               (1)  the consolidated fee on filing in district court
  imposed under Section 133.151;
               (2)  the filing fee in district court for basic civil
  legal services for indigents imposed under Section 133.152;
               (3)  the filing fee in courts other than district court
  for basic civil legal services for indigents imposed under Section
  133.153;
               (4)  the filing fees for the judicial fund imposed in
  certain statutory county courts under Section 51.702, Government
  Code;
               (5)  the filing fees for the judicial fund imposed in
  certain county courts under Section 51.703, Government Code;
               (6)  the filing fees for the judicial fund imposed in
  statutory probate courts under Section 51.704, Government Code;
               (7)  fees collected under Section 118.015;
               (8)  marriage license fees for the family trust fund
  collected under Section 118.018;
               (9)  marriage license or declaration of informal
  marriage fees for the child abuse and neglect prevention trust fund
  account collected under Section 118.022; and
               (10)  the filing fee for the judicial fund imposed in
  district court, statutory county court, and county court under
  Section 133.154[; and
               [(11)     the portion of the civil or administrative
  penalty described by Section 542.406(c)(1), Transportation Code,
  imposed by a local authority to enforce compliance with the
  instructions of a traffic-control signal;
               [(11)     the portion of the civil or administrative
  penalty described by Section 707.008(a)(1), Transportation Code,
  imposed by a local authority to enforce compliance with the
  instructions of a traffic-control signal].
         SECTION 4.  The following are repealed:
               (1)  Section 29.003(g), Government Code;
               (2)  Chapter 782, Health and Safety Code;
               (3)  Sections 542.405 and 542.406, Transportation
  Code;
               (4)  Section 544.012, Transportation Code; and
               (5)  Chapter 707, Transportation Code.
         SECTION 5.  (a) The repeal by this Act of Sections 542.405
  and 542.406 and Chapter 707, Transportation Code, does not affect
  the validity of a proceeding initiated or a civil penalty imposed
  under those provisions before the effective date of this Act. A
  proceeding initiated or a civil penalty imposed under those
  provisions before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
  applicable law in effect before the effective date of this Act, and
  the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         (b)  Notwithstanding the repeal by this Act of Sections
  542.405 and 542.406 and Chapter 707, Transportation Code, if before
  June 1, 2015, a local authority had enacted an ordinance under those
  provisions to implement a photographic traffic signal enforcement
  system and entered into a contract for the administration and
  enforcement of the system, the local authority may continue to
  operate the system under that ordinance and under the terms of that
  contract until the expiration date specified in the contract as the
  contract existed on June 1, 2015.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.