HB1950

HB1950 creates a consolidated municipal court building security and technology fund for municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents. These municipalities are excluded from the prior separate-fund articles. Municipalities at or above 100,000 residents are not covered by the new consolidated-fund provision. The city governing body administers the new fund or directs its administration. Final law, Sections 1–3.

The consolidated fund receives the security and technology allocations from the existing local court cost for a nonjailable misdemeanor conviction. HB1950 does not increase that $14 court cost. It redirects the existing minimum shares—35% for security and 28.5714% for technology—to the consolidated fund where applicable. The 35.7143% youth-diversion and 0.7143% jury-fund shares remain in the allocation statute. These are portions of that court cost, not percentages of all fines or city revenue. Final law, Section 4; Local Government Code 134.103.

Money remains restricted to the purposes cross-referenced in Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 102.017(b)–(c) and 102.0172(b): court-building security personnel, services and equipment, and court technology purchases or maintenance. Examples include security screening equipment, eligible security personnel, computer systems and docket-management systems. Consolidation does not turn the money into unrestricted city revenue. Code of Criminal Procedure 102.017, 102.0172 and 102.0175.

The bill passed with the votes required for immediate effect and became law May 29, 2025. The changes apply only to conviction fees collected on or after that date. Fees collected earlier remain governed by the former law; the act does not authorize treating every previously collected balance as new consolidated-fund money. Final law, Sections 5–6 and vote certifications; history.