BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1950 By: Capriglione Intergovernmental Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that Texas municipal courts play a critical role in ensuring public safety and administration of justice; to support these functions, municipalities have established dedicated funds for court security and technology improvements. However, the bill author has also informed the committee that inconsistencies in the allocation and use of these funds have led to concerns about whether these resources for essential court operations are adequate or being used transparently and efficiently. In addition, under current law, certain municipalities must maintain separate funds for court security and technology, which can create logistical challenges and reduce the ability to allocate resources where they are most needed. H.B. 1950 seeks to streamline and improve the management of municipal court security and technology funds by establishing consolidated funds in certain municipalities. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 1950 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to establish the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund as a fund in the municipal court treasury of a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 consisting of money allocated to that fund from the court costs of those convicted of a nonjailable misdemeanor offense. The bill restricts use of money deposited in such a fund to the following authorized purposes: specified security personnel, services, and items related to buildings that house the operations of municipal courts; or financing the purchase of or maintaining technological enhancements for a municipal court or municipal court of record. The bill requires the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund to be administered by or under the direction of the governing body of the applicable municipality. H.B. 1950 accordingly excludes a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 from the applicability of statutory provisions relating to the courthouse security fund, municipal court building security fund, justice court building security fund, and municipal court technology fund. H.B. 1950 amends the Local Government Code to include the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund among the funds to which the county or municipal treasurer must allocate not less than 35 percent or 28.5714 percent of the court costs received from the convictions of nonjailable misdemeanor offenses, as appropriate. H.B. 1950 applies only to a fee on conviction collected on or after the bill's effective date. A fee on conviction collected before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect when the fee was collected, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1950
By: Capriglione
Intergovernmental Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1950
By: Capriglione
Intergovernmental Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that Texas municipal courts play a critical role in ensuring public safety and administration of justice; to support these functions, municipalities have established dedicated funds for court security and technology improvements. However, the bill author has also informed the committee that inconsistencies in the allocation and use of these funds have led to concerns about whether these resources for essential court operations are adequate or being used transparently and efficiently. In addition, under current law, certain municipalities must maintain separate funds for court security and technology, which can create logistical challenges and reduce the ability to allocate resources where they are most needed. H.B. 1950 seeks to streamline and improve the management of municipal court security and technology funds by establishing consolidated funds in certain municipalities.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 1950 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to establish the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund as a fund in the municipal court treasury of a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 consisting of money allocated to that fund from the court costs of those convicted of a nonjailable misdemeanor offense. The bill restricts use of money deposited in such a fund to the following authorized purposes: specified security personnel, services, and items related to buildings that house the operations of municipal courts; or financing the purchase of or maintaining technological enhancements for a municipal court or municipal court of record. The bill requires the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund to be administered by or under the direction of the governing body of the applicable municipality. H.B. 1950 accordingly excludes a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 from the applicability of statutory provisions relating to the courthouse security fund, municipal court building security fund, justice court building security fund, and municipal court technology fund. H.B. 1950 amends the Local Government Code to include the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund among the funds to which the county or municipal treasurer must allocate not less than 35 percent or 28.5714 percent of the court costs received from the convictions of nonjailable misdemeanor offenses, as appropriate. H.B. 1950 applies only to a fee on conviction collected on or after the bill's effective date. A fee on conviction collected before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect when the fee was collected, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill author has informed the committee that Texas municipal courts play a critical role in ensuring public safety and administration of justice; to support these functions, municipalities have established dedicated funds for court security and technology improvements. However, the bill author has also informed the committee that inconsistencies in the allocation and use of these funds have led to concerns about whether these resources for essential court operations are adequate or being used transparently and efficiently. In addition, under current law, certain municipalities must maintain separate funds for court security and technology, which can create logistical challenges and reduce the ability to allocate resources where they are most needed. H.B. 1950 seeks to streamline and improve the management of municipal court security and technology funds by establishing consolidated funds in certain municipalities.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1950 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to establish the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund as a fund in the municipal court treasury of a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 consisting of money allocated to that fund from the court costs of those convicted of a nonjailable misdemeanor offense. The bill restricts use of money deposited in such a fund to the following authorized purposes:
specified security personnel, services, and items related to buildings that house the operations of municipal courts; or
financing the purchase of or maintaining technological enhancements for a municipal court or municipal court of record.
The bill requires the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund to be administered by or under the direction of the governing body of the applicable municipality.
H.B. 1950 accordingly excludes a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 from the applicability of statutory provisions relating to the courthouse security fund, municipal court building security fund, justice court building security fund, and municipal court technology fund.
H.B. 1950 amends the Local Government Code to include the consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund among the funds to which the county or municipal treasurer must allocate not less than 35 percent or 28.5714 percent of the court costs received from the convictions of nonjailable misdemeanor offenses, as appropriate.
H.B. 1950 applies only to a fee on conviction collected on or after the bill's effective date. A fee on conviction collected before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect when the fee was collected, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.