By: Ordaz Perez H.B. No. 4335
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to improving judicial transparency by collecting and
publishing data regarding disposition of cases in trial courts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 71.035, Subchapter C, Chapter 71,
Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 71.035. STATISTICS; ENFORCEMENT BY MANDAMUS. (a) The
council shall gather judicial statistics, including case level data
describing the amount and character of business conducted, and
other pertinent information from the several state judges and other
court officials of this state. In addition, the council shall
implement a monthly tracking system to ensure accountability for
counties and courts which participate in the statewide integrated
system for child support, medical support, and dental support
enforcement established under Section 231.0011, Family Code. As a
duty of office, the district clerks and county clerks serving the
affected courts shall report monthly such information as may be
required by the council, including, at a minimum, the time required
to enforce cases from date of delinquency, from date of filing, and
from date of service until date of disposition. Such information as
is necessary to complete the report and not directly within the
control of the district or county clerk, such as date of
delinquency, shall be provided to the clerk by the child support
registry or by the enforcement agency providing Title IV-D
enforcement services in the court. The monthly report shall be
transmitted to the Office of Court Administration of the Texas
Judicial System no later than the 20th day of the month following
the month reported, in such form as may be prescribed by the Office
of Court Administration, which may include electronic data
transfer. Copies of such reports shall be maintained in the office
of the appropriate district or county clerk for a period of at least
two years and shall be available to the public for inspection and
reproduction.
SECTION 2. The Texas Judicial Council shall adopt rules
necessary to implement the provisions of this bill.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.