By: Pitts H.B. No. 3773
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the duties of the comptroller of public accounts to
audit the Office of Court Administration's Collection Improvement
Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article 103.0033, Code of Criminal Procedure is
amended by amending Subsections (f), (h), (i), and (j) to read as
follows:
(f) The office[comptroller, in cooperation with the
office,] shall develop a methodology for determining the collection
rate of counties and municipalities described by Subsection (e)
before implementation of a program. The office[comptroller] shall
determine the rate for each county and municipality not later than
the first anniversary of the county's or municipality's adoption of
a program.
(h) The office[, in consultation with the comptroller,]
may:
(1) use case dispositions, population, revenue data,
or other appropriate measures to develop a prioritized
implementation schedule for programs; and
(2) determine whether it is not cost-effective to
implement a program in a county or municipality and grant a waiver
to the county or municipality.
(i) Each county and municipality shall at least annually
submit to the office [and the comptroller] a written report that
includes updated information regarding the program, as determined
by the office[ in cooperation with the comptroller]. The report
must be in a form approved by the office[ in cooperation with the
comptroller].
(j) The office[comptroller] shall periodically audit
counties and municipalities to verify information reported under
Subsection (i) and confirm that the county or municipality is
conforming with requirements relating to the program.[ The
comptroller shall consult with the office in determining how
frequently to conduct audits under this section.]
SECTION 2. Section 133.103, Local Government Code is
amended by amending Subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows:
(b) The[Except as provided by Subsection (c-1), the]
treasurer shall send 50 percent of the fees collected under this
section to the comptroller. The comptroller shall deposit the fees
received to the credit of the general revenue fund.
(c) The[Except as provided by Subsection (c-1),
the]treasurer shall deposit 10 percent of the fees collected under
this section in the general fund of the county or municipality for
the purpose of improving the efficiency of the administration of
justice in the county or municipality. The county or municipality
shall prioritize the needs of the judicial officer who collected
the fees when making expenditures under this subsection and use the
money deposited to provide for those needs.
SECTION 3. Sections 133.058(e) and 133.103(c-1), Local
Government Code are repealed.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2012.