87R6695 ANG-D
	By: Hinojosa	S.B. No. 643

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	relating to authorizing the imposition of additional fees for
	filing civil cases in Nueces County.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 51.712 to read as follows:
	Sec. 51.712.  ADDITIONAL FILING FEE FOR CIVIL CASES IN
	NUECES COUNTY. (a) This section applies only to district courts
	and county courts at law in Nueces County.
	(b)  Except as otherwise provided by this section and in
	addition to all other fees authorized or required by other law, the
	clerk of a court shall collect a filing fee of not more than $20 in
	each civil case filed in the court to be used:
	(1)  for the construction, renovation, or improvement
	of the facilities that house the Nueces County civil courts; and
	(2)  to pay the principal of, interest on, and costs of
	issuance of bonds, including refunding bonds, issued for the
	construction, renovation, or improvement of the facilities that
	house the Nueces County civil courts.
	(c)  Court fees due under this section shall be collected in
	the same manner as other fees, fines, or costs are collected in the
	case.
	(d)  The clerk shall send the fees collected under this
	section to the county treasurer of Nueces County or to any other
	official who discharges the duties commonly assigned to the county
	treasurer at least as frequently as monthly. The treasurer or other
	official shall deposit the fees in a special account in the county
	treasury dedicated to the construction, renovation, or improvement
	of the facilities that house the Nueces County civil courts.
	(e)  This section applies only to fees for a 12-month period
	beginning October 1, if the Commissioners Court of Nueces County:
	(1)  adopts an order authorizing a fee of not more than
	$20;
	(2)  adopts an order requiring the county to spend one
	dollar for the construction, renovation, or improvement of the
	facilities that house the Nueces County civil courts for each
	dollar spent from the special account dedicated to that purpose;
	and
	(3)  files the orders with the county treasurer or with
	any other official who discharges the duties commonly assigned to
	the county treasurer not later than September 1 immediately
	preceding the first 12-month period during which the fees are to be
	collected.
	(f)  An order adopted under Subsection (e) continues from
	year to year until October 1, 2036, allowing Nueces County to
	collect fees under the terms of this section until the order is
	rescinded.
	(g)  The Commissioners Court of Nueces County may rescind an
	order adopted under Subsection (e) by adopting an order rescinding
	the order and submitting the rescission order to the county
	treasurer or to any other official who discharges the duties
	commonly assigned to the county treasurer not later than September
	1 preceding the beginning of the first day of the county fiscal
	year.  The commissioners court may adopt an additional
	authorization order in the manner provided by Subsection (e) after
	rescinding a previous order under that subsection.
	(h)  A fee established under a particular order is abolished
	on the earlier of:
	(1)  the date an order adopted under Subsection (e) is
	rescinded as provided by Subsection (g); or
	(2)  October 1, 2036.
	(i)  Nueces County may make the required expenditure
	described by Subsection (e)(2) at any time, regardless of when the
	expenditure from the special account occurs.
	(j)  This section expires September 1, 2037.
	SECTION 2.  (a)  Notwithstanding Section 51.607(c),
	Government Code, the clerk of a court may begin collecting the fee
	authorized by Section 51.712(b), Government Code, as added by this
	Act, October 1, 2021, if:
	(1)  the requirements of Section 51.712, Government
	Code, as added by this Act, are satisfied; and
	(2)  this Act is passed by a record vote of two-thirds
	of all the members elected to each house of the legislature on final
	consideration in each house, as required by Section 46(d), Article
	III, Texas Constitution.
	(b)  If this Act does not receive the vote specified by
	Subsection (a)(2) of this section, the clerk of a court may not
	begin collecting the fee authorized by Section 51.712(b),
	Government Code, as added by this Act, until October 1 of the first
	year after 2021 in which the requirements of Section 51.712,
	Government Code, as added by this Act, are satisfied.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2021.