By: Coleman H.B. No. 2977
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to counties and certain other political subdivisions;
authorizing fees.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.712 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.712. ADDITIONAL FILING FEE FOR CIVIL CASES IN
KAUFMAN COUNTY. (a) This section applies only to district courts,
statutory probate courts, county courts at law, and justice courts
in Kaufman 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 $15 in
each civil case filed in the court to be used for the construction,
renovation, or improvement of the facilities that house the Kaufman
courts collecting the fee.
(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 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 the construction, renovation, or improvement of the
facilities that house the courts collecting the fee.
(e) This section applies only to fees for a 12-month period
beginning July 1, if the commissioners court:
(1) adopts a resolution authorizing a fee of not more
than $15; and
(2) files the resolution with the county treasurer or
with any other official who discharges the duties commonly assigned
to the county treasurer not later than June 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 July 1, 2030, allowing the county to collect
fees under the terms of this section until the resolution is
rescinded.
(g) The commissioners court 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 June 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) July 1, 2030.
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 101.061193 to read as follows:
Sec. 101.061193. ADDITIONAL DISTRICT COURT FEES FOR COURT
FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a district court in
Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of not more
than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil cases to
fund 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 101.081196 to read as follows:
Sec. 101.081196. ADDITIONAL STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES FOR
COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory county
court in Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of
not more than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil
cases to fund 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 101.101191 to read as follows:
Sec. 101.101191. ADDITIONAL STATUTORY PROBATE COURT FEES
FOR COURT FACILITIES: GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory
probate court in Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing
fee of not more than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in
civil cases to fund 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 FEE FOR COURT
FACILITIES COLLECTED BY CLERK. The clerk of a justice court in
Kaufman County shall collect an additional filing fee of not more
than $15 under Section 51.712, Government Code, in civil cases to
fund the construction, renovation, or improvement of court
facilities, if authorized by the county commissioners court.
SECTION 6. Section 1001.201, Health and Safety Code, as
added by Chapter 1306 (H.B. 3793), Acts of the 83rd Legislature,
Regular Session, 2013, is amended by adding Subdivisions (4) and
(5) to read as follows:
(4) "School district employee" means a principal,
assistant principal, educator, teacher's aide, counselor, nurse,
or school bus driver employed by a school district.
(5) "School resource officer" has the meaning assigned
by Section 1701.601, Occupations Code.
SECTION 7. Sections 1001.203(a) and (c), Health and Safety
Code, as added by Chapter 1306 (H.B. 3793), Acts of the 83rd
Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, are amended to read as follows:
(a) To the extent funds are appropriated to the department
for that purpose, the department shall make grants to local mental
health authorities to provide an approved mental health first aid
training program, administered by mental health first aid trainers,
at no cost to school district employees and school resource
officers [educators].
(c) Subject to the limit provided by Subsection (b), out of
the funds appropriated to the department for making grants under
this section, the department shall grant $100 to a local mental
health authority for each school district employee or school
resource officer [educator] who successfully completes a mental
health first aid training program provided by the authority under
this section.
SECTION 8. Section 1001.205, Health and Safety Code, as
added by Chapter 1306 (H.B. 3793), Acts of the 83rd Legislature,
Regular Session, 2013, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.205. REPORTS. (a) Not later than August 31
[July 1] of each year, a local mental health authority shall provide
to the department the number of:
(1) employees and contractors of the authority who
were trained as mental health first aid trainers under Section
1001.202 during the preceding calendar year;
(2) educators, school district employees other than
educators, and school resource officers who completed a mental
health first aid training program offered by the authority under
Section 1001.203 during the preceding calendar year; and
(3) individuals who are not school district employees
or school resource officers [educators] who completed a mental
health first aid training program offered by the authority during
the preceding calendar year.
(b) Not later than September 30 [August 1] of each year, the
department shall compile the information submitted by local mental
health authorities as required by Subsection (a) and submit a
report to the legislature containing the number of:
(1) authority employees and contractors trained as
mental health first aid trainers during the preceding calendar
year;
(2) educators, school district employees other than
educators, and school resource officers who completed a mental
health first aid training program provided by an authority during
the preceding calendar year; and
(3) individuals who are not school district employees
or school resource officers [educators] who completed a mental
health first aid training program provided by an authority during
the preceding calendar year.
SECTION 9. Section 263.152, Local Government Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) Disposal under Subsection (a)(3) may be accomplished
through a recycling program under which the property is collected,
separated, or processed and returned to use in the form of raw
materials in the production of new products.
SECTION 10. (a) Subchapter E, Chapter 1054, Special
District Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Section 1054.2025 to
read as follows:
Sec. 1054.2025. GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND ELECTION. (a) The
district may issue general obligation bonds only if the bonds are
authorized by a majority of the district voters voting at an
election held for that purpose.
(b) The order calling the election shall provide for clerks
as in county elections and must specify:
(1) the date of the election;
(2) the location of the polling places;
(3) the presiding and alternate election judges for
each polling place;
(4) the amount of the bonds to be authorized;
(5) the maximum interest rate of the bonds; and
(6) the maximum maturity of the bonds.
(c) Notice of a bond election shall be given as provided by
Section 1251.003, Government Code.
(b) Section 1054.2025, Special District Local Laws Code, as
added by this section, applies only to general obligation bonds
issued by the Lynn County Hospital District on or after the
effective date of this section.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, this
section takes effect immediately if this Act receives a vote of
two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by
Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not
receive the vote necessary for this section to have immediate
effect, this section takes effect September 1, 2015.
SECTION 11. Subchapter A, Chapter 311, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 311.009 to read as follows:
Sec. 311.009. COUNTY REQUEST FOR CLOSING OF ALLEY IN
CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES. (a) This section applies only to a
municipality with a population of more than 10,000 but less than
25,000 that has land area of less than four square miles and is
located wholly within a county that has a population of more than
2.3 million and a total area of less than 1,000 square miles.
(b) If not otherwise restricted by a county, a municipality
that receives a request for the abandonment of an alley located in
any portion of the county shall, not later than the 30th day after
the date the request was submitted, issue a final decision to grant
or deny the request.
(c) A request for which a final decision is not issued in the
period described by Subsection (b) is considered to be granted.
(d) A decision of the municipality under Subsection (b) may
be appealed to a district or county court.
SECTION 12. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.