This section bans state political subdivisions and state agencies from using traffic-citation quotas or money-collection targets to evaluate, promote, pay, discipline, or pressure specified officers and judges.
Sec. 720.002. PROHIBITION ON TRAFFIC-OFFENSE QUOTAS. (a) A political subdivision or an agency of this state may not establish or maintain, formally or informally, a plan to evaluate, promote, compensate, or discipline: (1) a peace officer according to the officer's issuance of a predetermined or specified number of any type or combination of types of traffic citations; or (2) a justice of the peace or a judge of a county court, statutory county court, municipal court, or municipal court of record according to the amount of money the justice or judge collects from persons convicted of a traffic offense. (b) A political subdivision or an agency of this state may not require or suggest to a peace officer, a justice of the peace, or a judge of a county court, statutory county court, municipal court, or municipal court of record: (1) that the peace officer is required or expected to issue a predetermined or specified number of any type or combination of types of traffic citations within a specified period; or (2) that the justice or judge is required or expected to collect a predetermined amount of money from persons convicted of a traffic offense within a specified period. (c) Repealed by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 737, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009. (d) This section does not prohibit a municipality from obtaining budgetary information from a municipal court or a municipal court of record, including an estimate of the amount of money the court anticipates will be collected in a budget year. (e) A violation of this section by an elected official is misconduct and a ground for removal from office. A violation of this section by a person who is not an elected official is a ground for removal from the person's position. (f) In this section: (1) "Conviction" means the rendition of an order by a court imposing a punishment of incarceration or a fine. (2) "Traffic offense" means an offense under: (A) Chapter 521; or (B) Subtitle C. Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 737 (S.B. 420), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.