Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1911 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1911
	1	+	By: Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 1911
	2	+	(Farrar)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5		-	relating to the provision of certain self-help resources by state
6		-	and county courts, including through the Internet website of a
7		-	state court and in the office of the court clerk.
	7	+	relating to posting notice of self-help resources on the Internet
	8	+	website of a state court and in the office of the court clerk.
8	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	10		SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 51, Government Code, is
10	11		amended by adding Section 51.808 to read as follows:
11	12		Sec. 51.808. NOTICE OF SELF-HELP RESOURCES. (a) The clerk
12	13		of each court in this state shall:
13	14		(1) post on the court's Internet website, if any, a
14	15		link to:
15	16		(A) the self-help resources Internet website
16	17		designated by the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
17	18		Judicial System, in consultation with the Texas Access to Justice
18	19		Commission, that includes information on:
19	20		(i) lawyer referral services certified
20	21		under Chapter 952, Occupations Code;
21	22		(ii) the name, location, and any Internet
22	23		website of any local legal aid office; and
23	24		(iii) any court-affiliated self-help
24	25		center serving the county in which the court is located; and
25	26		(B) the State Law Library's Internet website; and
26	27		(2) conspicuously display in the clerk's office in a
27	28		location frequently accessed by the public a sign with the
28	29		information described in Subdivision (1).
29	30		(b) The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
30	31		System shall prescribe the format for the information required
31	32		under Subsection (a).
32		-	SECTION 2. Section 323.021, Local Government Code, is
33		-	amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to
34		-	read as follows:
35		-	(a) The commissioners court of a county by order may
36		-	establish and maintain a county law library at the county seat or
37		-	another location determined by the commissioners court.
38		-	(c) The commissioners court of a county may establish,
39		-	maintain, and operate in cooperation with other counties a joint
40		-	free county law library for the benefit of the cooperating counties
41		-	in the same manner that a joint county library may be established
42		-	and operated under Section 323.010.
43		-	SECTION 3. Section 323.023(b), Local Government Code, is
44		-	amended to read as follows:
45		-	(b) The clerks of the respective courts shall collect the
46		-	costs and pay them to the county treasurer, or to any other official
47		-	who discharges the duties commonly delegated to the county
48		-	treasurer, for deposit in a fund to be known as the county law
49		-	library fund. The fund may be used only for:
50		-	(1) establishing the law library after the entry of
51		-	the order creating it;
52		-	(2) purchasing or leasing library materials,
53		-	maintaining the library, or acquiring furniture, shelving, or
54		-	equipment for the library; [or]
55		-	(3) purchasing or leasing library materials or
56		-	acquiring library equipment, including computers, software, and
57		-	subscriptions to obtain access to electronic research networks for
58		-	use by judges in the county; or
59		-	(4) establishing and maintaining a self-help center to
60		-	provide resources to county residents representing themselves in
61		-	legal matters.
62		-	SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
	33	+	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
63	34		of this Act, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
64	35		Judicial System shall prescribe the format of the information
65	36		required under Section 51.808, Government Code, as added by this
66	37		Act.
67		-	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
68		-	______________________________ ______________________________
69		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
70		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1911 passed the Senate on
71		-	April 26, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
72		-	the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2017, by the
73		-	following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
74		-	______________________________
75		-	Secretary of the Senate
76		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1911 passed the House, with
77		-	amendment, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 145,
78		-	Nays 0, two present not voting.
79		-	______________________________
80		-	Chief Clerk of the House
81		-	Approved:
82		-	______________________________
83		-	Date
84		-	______________________________
85		-	Governor
	38	+	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.