S.B. No. 1840
AN ACT
relating to the assistance and technology fund and use of money in
the fund.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Article 102.0173, Code of
Criminal Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
Art. 102.0173. COURT COSTS; JUSTICE COURT ASSISTANCE AND
TECHNOLOGY FUND.
SECTION 2. Articles 102.0173(a), (c), (d), (e), and (f),
Code of Criminal Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The commissioners court of a county by order shall
create a justice court assistance and technology fund. A defendant
convicted of a misdemeanor offense in justice court shall pay a $4
justice court assistance and technology fee as a cost of court for
deposit in the fund.
(c) The justice court clerk shall collect the costs and pay
the funds 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 justice court assistance
and technology fund.
(d) A fund designated by this article may be used only to
finance:
(1) the cost of providing court personnel, including
salaries and benefits for the court personnel;
(2) the cost of continuing education and training for
justice court judges and court personnel [clerks regarding
technological enhancements for justice courts]; and
(3) [(2)] the purchase and maintenance of
technological enhancements for a justice court, including:
(A) computer systems;
(B) computer networks;
(C) computer hardware;
(D) computer software;
(E) imaging systems;
(F) electronic kiosks;
(G) electronic ticket writers; and
(H) docket management systems.
(e) The justice court assistance and technology fund shall
be administered by or under the direction of the commissioners
court of the county.
(f) A justice court may, subject to the approval of the
commissioners court, use a fund designated by this article to
assist a constable's office or other county department with a
technological enhancement, or cost related to the enhancement,
described by Subsection (d)(3) [(d)(1) or (2)] if the enhancement
directly relates to the operation or efficiency of the justice
court. [This subsection applies only to a county that:
[(1) has a population of 125,000 or more;
[(2) is not adjacent to a county of two million or
more;
[(3) contains a portion of the Guadalupe River; and
[(4) contains a portion of Interstate Highway 10.]
SECTION 3. Section 102.101, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 102.101. ADDITIONAL COURT COSTS ON CONVICTION IN
JUSTICE COURT: CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE. A clerk of a justice
court shall collect fees and costs under the Code of Criminal
Procedure on conviction of a defendant as follows:
(1) a jury fee (Art. 102.004, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . $3;
(2) a fee for withdrawing request for jury less than 24
hours before time of trial (Art. 102.004, Code of Criminal
Procedure) . . . $3;
(3) a jury fee for two or more defendants tried jointly
(Art. 102.004, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . one jury fee of $3;
(4) a security fee on a misdemeanor offense (Art.
102.017, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . $4;
(5) a fee for assistance and technology fund on a
misdemeanor offense (Art. 102.0173, Code of Criminal Procedure)
. . . $4;
(6) a juvenile case manager fee (Art. 102.0174, Code
of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to exceed $5 if the court employs a
juvenile case manager;
(7) a fee on conviction of certain offenses involving
issuing or passing a subsequently dishonored check or similar sight
order (Art. 102.0071, Code of Criminal Procedure) . . . not to
exceed $30; and
(8) a civil justice fee (Art. 102.022, Code of
Criminal Procedure) . . . $0.10.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1840 passed the Senate on
April 25, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1840 passed the House on
May 17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 7,
one present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor