bill pulls property records out of the $1 copy fee

The text as introduced · 469 words

By: Orr
H.B. No. 3733

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to fees charged by county clerks for certain property

records.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 118.011, Local Government Code, is

amended by amending Subsections (a) and (e) to read as follows:

(a) A county clerk shall collect the following fees for

services rendered to any person:

(1) Personal Property Records Filing (Sec. 118.012):

(A) for the first page$ 5.00;

(B) for each additional page or part of a page on

which there are visible marks of any kind$ 4.00;

(2) Real Property Records Filing (Sec. 118.013):

(A) for the first page$ 5.00;

(B) for each additional page or part of a page on

which there are visible marks of any kind$ 4.00;

(C) for all or part of each 8-1/2" X 14"

attachment or rider$ 4.00;

(D) for each name in excess of five names that has

to be indexed in all records in which the document must be

indexed$ 0.25;

(3) Certified Papers (Sec. 118.014):

(A) for the clerk's certificate$ 5.00;

(B) printed on paper, plus a fee for each page or

part of a page$ 1.00;

(C) that is a paper document converted to

electronic format, for each page or part of a page$1;

(D) that is an electronic copy of an electronic

document:

(i) for each document up to 10 pages in

length$1;

(ii) for each page or part of a page of a

document over 10 pages$0.10;

(4) Noncertified Papers (Sec. 118.0145):

(A) printed on paper, for each page or part of a

page$ 1.00;

(B) that is a paper document converted to

electronic format, for each page or part of a page$1;

(C) that is an electronic copy of an electronic

document , except for real property records :

(i) for each document up to 10 pages in

length$1;

(ii) for each page or part of a page of a

document over 10 pages$0.10;

(5) Birth or Death Certificate (Sec.

118.015) . . . . .same as state registrar;

(6) Bond Approval (Sec. 118.016)$ 3.00;

(7) Marriage License (Sec. 118.018)$60.00;

(8) Declaration of Informal Marriage (Sec.

118.019)$25.00;

(9) Brand Registration (Sec. 118.020)$ 5.00;

(10) Oath Administration (Sec. 118.021)$ 1.00.

(e) A county clerk who provides a copy in a format other than

paper of a record maintained by the clerk , including real property

records, shall provide the copy and charge a fee in accordance with

Sections 552.231 and 552.262, Government Code.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.