| 1 | 1 | | 82R8232 EAH-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Rodriguez H.B. No. 2076 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the authority of a municipality or county to contract |
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| 8 | 8 | | with a vendor for the collection of certain debts. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 140, Local Government Code, is amended |
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| 11 | 11 | | by adding Section 140.009 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 140.009. CONTRACT FOR COLLECTION OF DEBTS IN CIVIL |
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| 13 | 13 | | CASES. (a) The governing body of a municipality or the |
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| 14 | 14 | | commissioners court of a county may contract with a public or |
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| 15 | 15 | | private vendor for the collection of a debt owed to the municipality |
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| 16 | 16 | | or county relating to a civil case, including an unpaid fine, fee, |
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| 17 | 17 | | or court cost, if the debt is more than 60 days overdue. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) A municipality or county contracting with a vendor under |
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| 19 | 19 | | Subsection (a) may authorize a collection fee of not more than 30 |
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| 20 | 20 | | percent of the amount of the debt collected. The collection fee may |
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| 21 | 21 | | be used only to compensate the vendor who collects the debt. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) This section does not apply to the collection of |
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| 23 | 23 | | commercial bail bonds. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 25 | 25 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 26 | 26 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 27 | 27 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 28 | 28 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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