HBA-MSH, SEP H.B. 730 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 730
By: Gutierrez
County Affairs
2/19/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Nonprofit family violence prevention organizations in the public and
private sectors provide shelter and services to victims of abuse and family
violence.  However, there is concern regarding whether these organizations
have adequate resources to provide services in all areas and to all victims
of family violence. House Bill 730 authorizes the commissioners court of a
county to adopt a family violence prevention fee and allocate the resulting
revenue to the county family violence prevention account. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 730 amends the Government Code to authorize the county
commissioners court  to adopt a family violence prevention fee not to
exceed $15.  The district clerk is required to collect the fee at the time
a suit for dissolution of a marriage is filed.  The bill requires the
district clerk to pay the fee to the appropriate officer of the county in
which the suit is filed for deposit in the county treasury to the credit of
the family violence prevention account.  The bill authorizes the
commissioners court to only fund or assist persons providing shelter or
services to victims of family violence. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.