H.B. No. 2875
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the imposition of additional fees for filing civil
  cases in Willacy County and Starr County.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 51.713 to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.713.  ADDITIONAL FILING FEE FOR CIVIL CASES IN
  WILLACY COUNTY AND STARR COUNTY. (a) This section applies only to:
               (1)  district courts, the constitutional county court,
  and justice courts in Willacy County; and
               (2)  district courts, the county court at law, and
  justice courts in Starr County.
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided by this section and in
  addition to all other fees authorized or required by other law, the
  clerk of a court shall collect a filing fee of not more than $20 in
  each civil case filed in the court, if the fee is authorized by  the
  commissioners court of the county collecting the fee.  A fee
  collected under this section is to be used:
               (1)  for the construction, renovation, or improvement
  of the facilities that house the Willacy County or Starr County
  civil courts; and
               (2)  to pay the principal of, interest on, and costs of
  issuance of bonds issued for the construction, renovation, or
  improvement of the facilities that house the Willacy County or
  Starr County civil courts.
         (c)  Court fees due under this section shall be collected in
  the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs are collected in the
  case.
         (d)  The clerk shall send the fees collected under this
  section to the county treasurer of the county in which the court is
  located or to any other official who discharges the duties commonly
  assigned to the county treasurer at least as frequently as monthly.
  The treasurer or other official shall deposit the fees in a special
  account in the county treasury dedicated to:
               (1)  the construction, renovation, or improvement of
  the facilities that house the Willacy County or Starr County civil
  courts; and
               (2)  pay the principal of, interest on, and costs of
  issuance of bonds issued for the construction, renovation, or
  improvement of the facilities that house the Willacy County or
  Starr County civil courts.
         (e)  This section applies only to fees for a 12-month period
  beginning October 1, if the commissioners court of the county
  collecting the fee:
               (1)  adopts a resolution authorizing a fee of not more
  than $20;
               (2)  adopts a resolution requiring the county to spend
  one dollar for the construction, renovation, or improvement of the
  court facilities or to pay the principal of, interest on, and costs
  of issuance of bonds issued for the construction of court
  facilities for each dollar spent from the special account dedicated
  to that purpose; and
               (3)  files the resolutions with the county treasurer or
  with any other official who discharges the duties commonly assigned
  to the county treasurer not later than September 1 immediately
  preceding the first 12-month period during which the fees are to be
  collected.
         (f)  A resolution adopted under Subsection (e) continues
  from year to year until October 1, 2045, allowing the county to
  collect fees under the terms of this section until the resolution is
  rescinded.
         (g)  The commissioners court of the county collecting the fee
  may rescind a resolution adopted under Subsection (e) by adopting a
  resolution rescinding the resolution and submitting the rescission
  resolution to the county treasurer or to any other official who
  discharges the duties commonly assigned to the county treasurer not
  later than September 1 preceding the beginning of the first day of
  the county fiscal year.  The commissioners court may adopt an
  additional resolution in the manner provided by Subsection (e)
  after rescinding a previous resolution under that subsection.
         (h)  A fee established under a particular resolution is
  abolished on the earlier of:
               (1)  the date a resolution adopted under Subsection (e)
  is rescinded as provided by Subsection (g); or
               (2)  October 1, 2045.
         (i)  Willacy County or Starr County may make the required
  expenditure described by Subsection (e)(2) at any time, regardless
  of when the expenditure from the special account occurs.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 101.061194 to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.061194.  ADDITIONAL DISTRICT COURT FEES FOR COURT
  FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a district court in
  Willacy County and the clerk of a district court in Starr County
  shall collect an additional filing fee of not more than $20 under
  Section 51.713, Government Code, in civil cases to fund the:
               (1)  construction, renovation, or improvement of court
  facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court; and
               (2)  payment of the principal of, interest on, and
  costs of issuance of bonds issued for the construction, renovation,
  or improvement of court facilities, if authorized by the county
  commissioners court.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter E, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 101.081195 to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.081195.  ADDITIONAL STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES FOR
  COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory county
  court in Starr County shall collect an additional filing fee of not
  more than $20 under Section 51.713, Government Code, in civil cases
  to fund the:
               (1)  construction, renovation, or improvement of court
  facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court; and
               (2)  payment of the principal of, interest on, and
  costs of issuance of bonds issued for the construction, renovation,
  or improvement of court facilities, if authorized by the county
  commissioners court.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter G, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 101.12122 to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.12122.  ADDITIONAL COUNTY COURT FEES FOR COURT
  FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of the county court in
  Willacy County shall collect an additional filing fee of not more
  than $20 under Section 51.713, Government Code, in civil cases to
  fund the:
               (1)  construction, renovation, or improvement of court
  facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court; and
               (2)  payment of the principal of, interest on, and
  costs of issuance of bonds issued for the construction, renovation,
  or improvement of court facilities, if authorized by the county
  commissioners court.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter H, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 101.143 to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.143.  ADDITIONAL JUSTICE COURT FEES FOR COURT
  FACILITIES COLLECTED BY CLERK. The clerk of a justice court in
  Willacy County and the clerk of a justice court in Starr County
  shall collect an additional filing fee of not more than $20 under
  Section 51.713, Government Code, in civil cases to fund the:
               (1)  construction, renovation, or improvement of court
  facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court; and
               (2)  payment of the principal of, interest on, and
  costs of issuance of bonds issued for the construction, renovation,
  or improvement of court facilities, if authorized by the county
  commissioners court.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2875 was passed by the House on May 9,
  2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 2, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 2875 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 2,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2875 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 27, Nays
  4.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor