JIM MATTOX Attorney General
Supreme Court Building P. 0. Box 12548 Austin, TX. 76711. 2548 512,475.2501 Telex 9101874.1367 Telecopier 5121475.0266
714 Jackson, sldte 700 Dallas, TX. 752024508 2141742-8944
4824 Alberta Ave.. Suite 160 El Paso, TX. 799052793 915/533-3484
IWl Texas, Suite 700 Houston, TX. 77002-3111 713i223.5886
808 Broadway, Suite 312 Lubbock, TX. 79401-3479 8061747-5238
4309 N. Tenth, Suite B ,&Allen, TX. 78501-1685 512,882.4547
200 Main Plaza, Suite 400 San Antonio, TX. 782052797 512/225-4191
An Equal OppOrtUnityI Affirmative Action Employer 

# The Attorney General of Texas Feb:ruary

21, 1986

EoaorablcDavid Cain OpinionNo. JM-441 Chaitman Colmnittee

on Transp,Drtation Re: Whether administrativefeesmay Texas Eouse of Representatives be assessed by a justice of the P. 0. Box 2910 peace or a municipal judge in Austin, Texas 787859 traffic cases arisingunder article 6701d. section 143A,V.T.C.S. Dear RepresentativeCain: You ask the follovingtwo questions:

1. Mcy municipal and justice of the peace courts assess an administrative fee to defendants in administering provisions of article 6701d, section 1#13A,

V.T.C.S.? 2. May municipal and justice of the peace courts awess an administrative referral fee to Texas Department of Safety approved or licensed Class 4 CDTS schools which provide driver safety courses tsosection L43Adefendants? Section 143A of article 6701d provides for the dismissal of certainmisdemeanor chargesupon completionof a driving safety course by the defendant. The defensive driving course must be one approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety or by the court. See V.T.C.S. art. 670111,§143A(a)(L), (2). You state that a municiq court contractedwith certainproviders of approved courses to present a list of the prcviders to section 143A defendants. In return, the course provider pays the municipal court a fee for each course completionby a section 143Adefendant. These fees are used to defray the costs of administeringthe section 143Adismissalprogram. It is well-established that a fee may not be charged unless the fee is provided for by law. Attorney General Opinion JM-346 (1985); see also Attorney,General Opinions JM-357 (1985); JM-165, JM-158, JM-153 (1984);JM-113, JM-22 (1983). Article 6701d does not authorize the imposition o,E an administrative referral fee either against defendants or again,st the providers of defensivedriving courses. See also Code Grim. Pwc. art. 45.07 (no costs shall be provided forby

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ordinance); cf. Code Grim. :Proc.art. 45.06 (authorizing special fee for the issuance and serrice of warrant of arrest for violating promise to appearunder sect:Lon 149 of article 6701d). SUMMARY Article 6701d dl>es not authorize the imposition of an administrativereferral fee in cases arising under the section 143A program for the dismissal of certainmisdenranor charges upon completion of a driving safety courseby defendant. No such fee may be assessed ag;sinst section 143A defendantsor against the providers of driving safety courses without statutory ;authorizstion. Very trulyyour 

# J W

& JIM MATTOX Attorney General of Texas JACK HIGBTOWRR FirstAssistantAttorney Gemera MARY KELLER ExecutiveAssistantAttorney General ROBERT GRAY SpecialAssistantAttorney G#eneral RICK GILPIN Chairman,Opinion Committee Preparedby JenniferRiggs AssistantAttorney General

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