H.B. No. 1234

	AN ACT
	relating to filing fees imposed in civil cases in Hidalgo County and
	Cameron County.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 51.711, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsections (b), (f), (g), (h), and (i) and adding
	Subsection (e-1) to read as follows:
	(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 to be used:
	(1)  for the construction, renovation, or improvement
	of the facilities that house the Hidalgo County or Cameron County
	civil courts; and
	(2)  to pay the principal of, interest on, and costs of
	issuance of bonds, including refunding bonds, issued for the
	construction, renovation, or improvement of the facilities that
	house the Hidalgo County or Cameron County civil courts.
	(e-1)  If Hidalgo County or Cameron County has adopted a
	resolution authorizing a fee as provided by Subsection (e) that is
	abolished on or before October 1, 2030, the county may:
	(1)  adopt a resolution authorizing the fee adopted
	under Subsection (e) to continue until October 1, 2045;
	(2)  adopt a resolution providing that the county must
	continue to spend one dollar for the construction, renovation, or
	improvement of the court facilities for each dollar spent from the
	special account dedicated to that purpose; and
	(3)  file the resolution adopted under this subsection
	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 county has authorized the fee to continue to be collected
	through October 1, 2045.
	(f)  A resolution adopted under Subsection (e) continues
	from year to year until October 1, 2030, if adopted under Subsection
	(e) before September 1, 2017, or October 1, 2045, if adopted under
	Subsection (e) on or after September 1, 2017, allowing the county to
	collect fees under the terms of this section until the resolution is
	rescinded.  A resolution adopted under Subsection (e-1) 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	rescinded.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) or (e-1) 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)
	or (e-1) is rescinded as provided by Subsection (g); [or]
	(2)  October 1, 2030, if adopted under Subsection (e)
	before September 1, 2017;
	(3)  October 1, 2045, if adopted under Subsection (e)
	on or after September 1, 2017; or
	(4)  October 1, 2045, if adopted under Subsection
	(e-1).
	(i)  Hidalgo County or Cameron County may make the required
	expenditure described by Subsection (e)(2) or (e-1)(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
	Hidalgo County and the clerk of a district court in Cameron County
	shall collect an additional filing fee of not more than $20 under
	Section 51.711, Government Code, in civil cases to fund the payment
	of the principal of, interest on, and costs of issuance of bonds,
	including refunding 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 101.081193 to read as follows:
	Sec. 101.081193.  ADDITIONAL STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES FOR
	COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE.  The clerk of a statutory county
	court in Hidalgo County and the clerk of a statutory county court in
	Cameron County shall collect an additional filing fee of not more
	than $20 under Section 51.711, Government Code, in civil cases to
	fund the payment of the principal of, interest on, and costs of
	issuance of bonds, including refunding bonds, issued for the
	construction, renovation, or improvement of court facilities, if
	authorized by the county commissioners court.
	SECTION 4.  Subchapter F, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 101.101192 to read as follows:
	Sec. 101.101192.  ADDITIONAL STATUTORY PROBATE COURT FEES
	FOR COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE.  The clerk of a statutory
	probate court in Hidalgo County shall collect an additional filing
	fee of not more than $20 under Section 51.711, Government Code, in
	civil cases to fund the payment of the principal of, interest on,
	and costs of issuance of bonds, including refunding bonds, issued
	for the construction, renovation, or improvement of court
	facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 1234 was passed by the House on May 4,
	2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not
	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	No. 1234 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 139, Nays 5,
	2 present, not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 1234 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 28, Nays
	3.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor