Counties must send specified family protection services information to the commission on set yearly deadlines, and local judges, county auditors, and clerks have related support duties.
Sec. 79.0365. FAMILY PROTECTION SERVICES INFORMATION. (a) Not later than November 1 of each odd-numbered year and in the form and manner prescribed by the commission, each county shall prepare and provide to the commission: (1) a copy of all formal and informal rules and forms governing the procedures the county uses to provide indigent parents and children with counsel in accordance with Title 5, Family Code; (2) any fee schedule the court uses for family protection services representation; and (3) information on the court's compliance with Chapter 37, including the lists and rotation system required under that chapter. (b) Not later than November 1 of each year and in the form and manner prescribed by the commission, each county shall prepare and provide to the commission for the preceding state fiscal year: (1) information on the number of appointments made to each attorney accepting appointments in the county for proceedings filed by the department under Title 5, Family Code; and (2) information provided to the county by those attorneys under Section 107.0042, Family Code, if the attorneys do not report the information directly to the commission. (c) The local administrative district judge in each county, or the person designated by the judge, shall perform the action required by Subsection (a) with respect to all rules and forms adopted by the judges of the county. (d) In each county, the county auditor, or the person designated by the commissioners court if the county does not have a county auditor, shall prepare and send to the commission in the form and manner prescribed by the commission and on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, with respect to legal services provided in the county to indigent parents and children during each state fiscal year, information showing the total amount expended by the county to provide family protection services and an analysis of the amount expended by the county: (1) in each district, county, statutory county, and appellate court; (2) in cases for which a private attorney is appointed for an indigent parent or child; and (3) for investigation expenses, expert witness expenses, or other litigation expenses. (e) As a duty of office, each district and county clerk shall cooperate with the county auditor or the person designated by the commissioners court and the commissioners court in retrieving information required to be sent to the commission under this section. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 965 (S.B. 2120), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2023.