S.B. No. 1911
AN ACT
relating to the provision of certain self-help resources by state
and county courts, including through the Internet website of a
state court and in the office of the court clerk.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 51, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.808 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.808. NOTICE OF SELF-HELP RESOURCES. (a) The clerk
of each court in this state shall:
(1) post on the court's Internet website, if any, a
link to:
(A) the self-help resources Internet website
designated by the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
Judicial System, in consultation with the Texas Access to Justice
Commission, that includes information on:
(i) lawyer referral services certified
under Chapter 952, Occupations Code;
(ii) the name, location, and any Internet
website of any local legal aid office; and
(iii) any court-affiliated self-help
center serving the county in which the court is located; and
(B) the State Law Library's Internet website; and
(2) conspicuously display in the clerk's office in a
location frequently accessed by the public a sign with the
information described in Subdivision (1).
(b) The Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial
System shall prescribe the format for the information required
under Subsection (a).
SECTION 2. Section 323.021, Local Government Code, is
amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to
read as follows:
(a) The commissioners court of a county by order may
establish and maintain a county law library at the county seat or
another location determined by the commissioners court.
(c) The commissioners court of a county may establish,
maintain, and operate in cooperation with other counties a joint
free county law library for the benefit of the cooperating counties
in the same manner that a joint county library may be established
and operated under Section 323.010.
SECTION 3. Section 323.023(b), Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) The clerks of the respective courts shall collect the
costs and pay them to the county treasurer, or to any other official
who discharges the duties commonly delegated to the county
treasurer, for deposit in a fund to be known as the county law
library fund. The fund may be used only for:
(1) establishing the law library after the entry of
the order creating it;
(2) purchasing or leasing library materials,
maintaining the library, or acquiring furniture, shelving, or
equipment for the library; [or]
(3) purchasing or leasing library materials or
acquiring library equipment, including computers, software, and
subscriptions to obtain access to electronic research networks for
use by judges in the county; or
(4) establishing and maintaining a self-help center to
provide resources to county residents representing themselves in
legal matters.
SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
Judicial System shall prescribe the format of the information
required under Section 51.808, Government Code, as added by this
Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1911 passed the Senate on
April 26, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2017, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1911 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 145,
Nays 0, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor