Sec. 323.023. LAW LIBRARY FUND. (a) A sum set by the commissioners court not to exceed $35 shall be taxed, collected, and paid as other costs in each civil case filed in a county or district court, except suits for delinquent taxes. The county is not liable for the costs.

(b) The clerks of the respective courts shall collect the costs and pay them to the county treasurer, or to any other official who discharges the duties commonly delegated to the county treasurer, for deposit in a fund to be known as the county law library fund. The fund may be used only for:

(1) establishing the law library after the entry of the order creating it;

(2) purchasing or leasing library materials, maintaining the library, or acquiring furniture, shelving, or equipment for the library;

(3) purchasing or leasing library materials or acquiring library equipment, including computers, software, and subscriptions to obtain access to electronic research networks for use by judges in the county; or

(4) establishing and maintaining a self-help center to provide resources to county residents representing themselves in legal matters.

(c) Money in the fund may be used for the purposes described by Subsection (b)(3) only if the county's law librarian or, if the county has no law librarian, the person responsible for the county's law library, authorizes the use in consultation with the county auditor.

(d) Expenditures by a county under Subsection (b)(3) may not exceed $175,000 each year. Any unexpended and unobligated balance allocated by the county for Subsection (b)(3) purposes that remains at the end of the county's fiscal year remains available for use for Subsection (b)(3) purposes during subsequent fiscal years.

(e) The county law library fund shall be administered by or under the direction of the commissioners court.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1, Sec. 70(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 331, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1010, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Amended by:

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 760 (S.B. 1911), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2017.