Art. 102.014. COURT COSTS FOR CHILD SAFETY FUND IN MUNICIPALITIES. (a) The governing body of a municipality with a population greater than 850,000 according to the most recent federal decennial census that has adopted an ordinance, regulation, or order regulating the stopping, standing, or parking of vehicles as allowed by Section 542.202, Transportation Code, or Chapter 682, Transportation Code, shall by order assess a court cost on each parking violation not less than $2 and not to exceed $5. The court costs under this subsection shall be collected in the same manner that other fines in the case are collected.
(b) The governing body of a municipality with a population less than 850,000 according to the most recent federal decennial census that has adopted an ordinance, regulation, or order regulating the stopping, standing, or parking of vehicles as allowed by Section 542.202, Transportation Code, or Chapter 682, Transportation Code, may by order assess a court cost on each parking violation not to exceed $5. The additional court cost under this subsection shall be collected in the same manner that other fines in the case are collected.
(c) A person convicted of an offense under Subtitle C, Title 7, Transportation Code, when the offense occurs within a school crossing zone as defined by Section 541.302 of that code, shall pay as court costs $25 in addition to other taxable court costs. A person convicted of an offense under Section 545.066, Transportation Code, shall pay as court costs $25 in addition to other taxable court costs. The additional court costs under this subsection shall be collected in the same manner that other fines and taxable court costs in the case are collected and shall be assessed only in a municipality.
(d) A person convicted of an offense under Section 25.093, Education Code, shall pay as taxable court costs $20 in addition to other taxable court costs. The additional court costs under this subsection shall be collected in the same manner that other fines and taxable court costs in the case are collected.
(e) In this article, a person is considered to have been convicted in a case if the person would be considered to have been convicted under Section 133.101, Local Government Code.
(f) In a municipality with a population greater than 850,000 according to the most recent federal decennial census, the officer collecting the costs in a municipal court case shall deposit money collected under this article in the municipal child safety trust fund established as required by Chapter 106, Local Government Code.
(g) In a municipality with a population less than 850,000 according to the most recent federal decennial census, the money collected under this article in a municipal court case must be used for a school crossing guard program if the municipality operates one. If the municipality does not operate a school crossing guard program or if the money received from court costs from municipal court cases exceeds the amount necessary to fund the school crossing guard program, the municipality may:
(1) deposit the additional money in an interest-bearing account;
(2) expend the additional money for programs designed to enhance child safety, health, or nutrition, including child abuse prevention and intervention and drug and alcohol abuse prevention; or
(3) expend the additional money for programs designed to enhance public safety and security.
(h) Money collected under this article in a justice, county, or district court shall be used to fund school crossing guard programs in the county where they are collected. If the county does not operate a school crossing guard program, the county may:
(1) remit fee revenues to school districts in its jurisdiction for the purpose of providing school crossing guard services;
(2) fund programs the county is authorized by law to provide which are designed to enhance child safety, health, or nutrition, including child abuse prevention and intervention and drug and alcohol abuse prevention;
(3) provide funding to the sheriff's department for school-related activities;
(4) provide funding to the county juvenile probation department; or
(5) deposit the money in the general fund of the county.
(i) Each collecting officer shall keep separate records of money collected under this article.
Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 830, Sec. 2, eff. July 1, 1991. Subsec. (e) amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 10.03, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Subsec. (c) amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 50, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 6.05, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1384, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Subsec. (c) amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 983, Sec. 1; Subsec. (d) amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1514, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Subsec. (e) amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 209, Sec. 69(a), eff. Jan. 1, 2004.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 162 (S.B. 446), Sec. 1, eff. May 26, 2009.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 935 (H.B. 2398), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2015.
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