S.B. No. 605

	AN ACT
	relating to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the
	Eighth Court of Appeals District.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 22.2091 to read as follows:
	Sec. 22.2091.  APPELLATE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. (a)  The
	commissioners court of each county in the Eighth Court of Appeals
	District, by order entered in its minutes, shall establish an
	appellate judicial system to assist the court of appeals for the
	county in the processing of appeals filed with the court of appeals
	from the county courts, statutory county courts, statutory probate
	courts, and district courts.
	(b)  To fund the system, the commissioners court shall set a
	court costs fee of $5 for each civil suit filed in a county court,
	statutory county court, statutory probate court, or district court
	in the county.
	(c)  The court costs fee does not apply to a suit filed by any
	governmental entity or to a suit for delinquent taxes.
	(d)  The court costs fee shall be taxed, collected, and paid
	as other court costs in a suit. The clerk of the court shall collect
	the court costs fee set under this section and pay it to the county
	officer who performs the county treasurer's functions.  That
	officer shall deposit the fee in a separate appellate judicial
	system fund for the court of appeals district. The fund may not be
	used for any other purpose. The chief justice of the court of
	appeals has sole discretion as to the use of the fund.
	(e)  The commissioners court shall monthly order the funds
	collected under this section to be forwarded to the court of appeals
	for expenditure by the court of appeals for its appellate judicial
	system.
	(f)  The commissioners court shall vest management of the
	system in the chief justice of the court of appeals.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 101.06119 to read as follows:
	Sec. 101.06119.  ADDITIONAL DISTRICT COURT FEES: GOVERNMENT
	CODE. The clerk of a district court in the Eighth Court of Appeals
	District shall collect an appellate judicial system filing fee of
	$5 under Section 22.2091, Government Code.
	SECTION 3.  Subchapter E, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 101.08116 to read as follows:
	Sec. 101.08116.  ADDITIONAL STATUTORY COUNTY COURT FEES:
	GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory county court in the
	Eighth Court of Appeals District shall collect an appellate
	judicial system filing fee of $5 under Section 22.2091, Government
	Code.
	SECTION 4.  Subchapter F, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 101.10115 to read as follows:
	Sec. 101.10115.  ADDITIONAL STATUTORY PROBATE COURT FEES:
	GOVERNMENT CODE. The clerk of a statutory probate court in the
	Eighth Court of Appeals District shall collect an appellate
	judicial system filing fee of $5 under Section 22.2091, Government
	Code.
	SECTION 5.  Subchapter G, Chapter 101, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 101.12125 to read as follows:
	Sec. 101.12125.  ADDITIONAL COUNTY COURT FEES: GOVERNMENT
	CODE. The clerk of a county court in a county in the Eighth Court of
	Appeals District shall collect an appellate judicial system filing
	fee of $5 under Section 22.2091, Government Code.
	SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 605 passed the Senate on
	March 17, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 2.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 605 passed the House on
	April 26, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 107, Nays 41, two
	present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor