2009S0556-1 03/04/09
By: Huffman S.B. No. 2193
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation and evaluation of certain pilot projects
of the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 22, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter C-1 to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER C-1. PILOT PROJECTS DEVELOPED BY FIRST AND FOURTEENTH
COURTS OF APPEALS
Sec. 22.250. DEFINITION. In this subchapter "courts of
appeals" means the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals.
Sec. 22.251. PILOT PROJECT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION
OF HUMAN RESOURCES. The courts of appeals may implement a pilot
project to jointly develop and implement human resources policies
and procedures in accordance with this code and the provisions of
the Texas Human Resources Management Statutes Inventory.
Sec. 22.252. PILOT PROJECT RELATED TO ACCESS THROUGH
ON-LINE E-FILING SYSTEM BY PARTIES WHO REPRESENT THEMSELVES. The
courts of appeals may implement a pilot project to jointly develop
and implement policies and procedures that ensure adequate access
to the appellate courts through the Texas Online e-filing system
for parties who represent themselves in the courts of appeals.
SECTION 2. During the 2010-2011 biennium, the First and
Fourteenth Courts of Appeals may evaluate whether the creation of a
standardized human resources and employee manual is the most
efficient and effective method by which to develop, implement, and
maintain policies and procedures relating to employee management in
those courts.
SECTION 3. During the 2010-2011 biennium, the First and
Fourteenth Courts of Appeals may participate in a pilot project to
jointly develop and evaluate criteria to convert certain closed
civil and criminal case file documents to a digital format and to
destroy the remaining paper copies of those files. This criteria
must comply with all applicable provisions of the Government Code
pertaining to the retention and destruction of paper case file
documents and must be developed in consultation with the state
archivist. The courts may retain and destroy paper case file
documents from closed civil and criminal cases based on the
criteria developed under the pilot project.
SECTION 4. During the 2010-2011 biennium, the First and
Fourteenth Courts of Appeals may participate in a pilot project to
jointly develop common procedures for the continuity of operations
for the courts and for their recovery from disasters.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.