TITLE: Relating to the establishment of judicial donation trust funds to assist needy children and families appearing before justice and municipal courts.

SUMMARY: Relating to the establishment of judicial donation trust funds to assist needy children and families appearing before justice and municipal courts.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the establishment of judicial donation trust funds to assist needy children and families appearing before justice and municipal courts. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 2, Government Code, is amended by adding Chapter 36 to read as follows: CHAPTER 36. JUDICIAL DONATION TRUST FUNDS Sec. 36.001. ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUST FUNDS. (a) The governing body of a municipality or the commissioners court of a county may establish a judicial donation trust fund as a separate account held outside the municipal or county treasury to be used in accordance with this chapter. (b) The governing body of a municipality or the commissioners court of a county may accept a gift, grant, donation, or other consideration from a public or private source that is designated for the judicial donation trust fund. (c) Money received under Subsection (b) shall be deposited in the judicial donation trust fund and may only be disbursed in accordance with this chapter. (d) Interest and income from the assets of the judicial donation trust fund shall be credited to and deposited in the trust fund. Sec. 36.002. PROCEDURES AND ELIGIBILITY. The governing body of a municipality or the commissioners court of a county shall: (1) adopt the procedures necessary to receive and disburse money from the judicial donation trust fund under this chapter; and (2) establish eligibility requirements for disbursement of money under this chapter to assist needy children or families who appear before a justice or municipal court for a criminal offense, as applicable, by providing money for resources and services that eliminate barriers to school attendance or that seek to prevent criminal behavior. Sec. 36.003. USE OF FUNDS IN ACCOUNT. (a) The judge of a justice or municipal court, in accordance with Section 36.002, may award money from a judicial donation trust fund established under Section 36.001 to eligible children or families who appear before the court for a truancy or curfew violation or in another misdemeanor offense proceeding before the court. (b) A judge of a justice or municipal court may order the municipal or county treasurer to issue payment from the judicial donation trust fund for money awarded under this section. SECTION 2. Section 81.032, Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 81.032. ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS. The commissioners court may accept a gift, grant, donation, bequest, or devise of money or other property on behalf of the county,including a donation under Chapter 36, Government Code, for the purpose of performing a function conferred by law on the county or a county officer. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.