costs, as determined by the board of supervisors, or by the court, depending on which entity administers the account.  The defendant shall pay to the clerk of the court or the collecting agency the fee established for the processing of the accounts receivable that are not to be paid in installments.  The fee shall equal the administrative and clerical costs, as determined by the board of supervisors, or by the court, depending on which entity administers the account, except that the fee shall not exceed thirty dollars ($30).

fails, after notice and without good cause, to appear in court for a proceeding authorized by law or who fails to pay all or any portion of a fine ordered by the court or to pay an installment of bail as agreed to under Section 40510.5 of the Vehicle Code.

county department or a collecting agency for processing and collection.(e) The defendant shall pay to the clerk of the court or the collecting agency a fee for the processing of installment accounts. This fee shall equal the administrative and clerical costs, as determined by the board of supervisors, or by the court, depending on which entity administers the account. The defendant shall pay to the clerk of the court or the collecting agency the fee established for the processing of the accounts receivable that are not to be paid in installments. The fee shall equal the administrative and clerical costs, as determined by the board of supervisors, or by the court, depending on which entity administers the account, except that the fee shall not exceed thirty dollars ($30).

section, a “comprehensive collection program” is a separate and distinct revenue collection activity that meets each of the following criteria: ... (4) The program engages in at least five of the following activities: ... (D) Contracts with one or more private debt collectors to collect delinquent debt.

judge if there is no clerk, unless the defendant is taken into custody for nonpayment of the fine, in which event payments made while he or she is in custody shall be made to the officer who holds the defendant in custody, and all amounts paid shall be paid over by the officer to the court that rendered the judgment. The clerk shall report to the court every default in payment of a fine or any part of that fine, or if there is no clerk, the court shall take notice of the default . . . . 

(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the clerk of the court, or the judge if there is no clerk, from turning these accounts over to another county department or a collecting agency for processing and collection.

or any other entity that are due and payable in an amount totaling no less than one hundred dollars ($100), in the aggregate, for criminal offenses, including all offenses involving a violation of the Vehicle Code, and any amounts due pursuant to Section 903.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code may, no sooner than 90 days after payment of that amount becomes delinquent, be referred by the juvenile or superior court, the county, or the state to the Franchise Tax Board for collection under guidelines prescribed by the Franchise Tax Board.

1205, and 1209 of the Penal Code; and Sections 353, 353.5, 376, 700, 727, 751, 903, 903.1, 903.2, 903.3, and 903.45 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

under that program. The costs shall be deducted before any distribution of revenues to other governmental entities required by any other law. A county or court operating a comprehensive collection program may establish a minimum base fee, fine, forfeiture, penalty, or assessment amount for inclusion in the program.

(b) Once debt becomes delinquent, it continues to be delinquent and may be subject to collection by a comprehensive collection program. Debt is delinquent and subject to collection by a comprehensive collection program if any of the following conditions is met: (1) A defendant does not post bail or appear on or before the date on which he or she promised to appear, or any lawful continuance of that date, if that defendant was eligible to post and forfeit bail. (2) A defendant does not pay the amount imposed by the court on or before the date ordered by the court, or any lawful continuance of that date. (3) A defendant has failed to make an installment payment on the date specified by the court.

(c) For the purposes of this section, a “comprehensive collection program” is a separate and distinct revenue collection activity that meets each of the following criteria: (1) The program identifies and collects amounts arising from delinquent court-ordered debt, whether or not a warrant has been issued against the alleged violator. (2) The program complies with the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 1463.010. (3) The program engages in each of the following activities: (A) Attempts telephone contact with delinquent debtors for whom the program has a telephone number to inform them of their delinquent status and payment options. (B) Notifies delinquent debtors for whom the program has an address in writing of their outstanding obligation within 95 days of delinquency. (C) Generates internal monthly reports to track collections data, such as age of debt and delinquent amounts outstanding. (D) Uses Department of Motor Vehicles information to locate delinquent debtors. (E) Accepts payment of delinquent debt by credit card. (4) The program engages in at least five of the following activities: (A) Sends delinquent debt to the Franchise Tax Board’s Court-Ordered Debt Collections Program. (B) Sends delinquent debt to the Franchise Tax Board’s Interagency Intercept Collections Program. (C) Initiates driver’s license suspension or hold actions when appropriate for a failure to appear in court. (D) Contracts with one or more private debt collectors to collect delinquent debt. (E) Sends monthly bills or account statements to all delinquent debtors. (F) Contracts with local, regional, state, or national skip tracing or locator resources or services to locate delinquent debtors. (G) Coordinates with the probation department to locate debtors who may be on formal or informal probation. (H) Uses Employment Development Department employment and wage information to collect delinquent debt. (I) Establishes wage and bank account garnishments where appropriate. (J) Places liens on real property owned by delinquent debtors when appropriate. (K) Uses an automated dialer or automatic call distribution system to manage telephone calls.

the following: . . . (2) Enter into contracts with a collection agency, agencies, or municipal or county government agencies to collect unpaid amounts owed. The Administrative Office of the Courts may provide by such contract for the collection assistance fee to be retained by the agency or agencies that collect the amounts owed.

department and a county treasurer may collect money payable under this title with the written approval of the clerk of the court or fee officer, and may collect money payable as otherwise provided by law.

(c) This article does not limit the authority of a commissioners court to contract with a private vendor or private attorney for the provision of collection services under Article 103.0031.

the provision of collection services for one or more of the following items: (1) debts and accounts receivable such as unpaid fines, fees, court costs, forfeited bonds, and restitution ordered paid by: (A) a court serving the county or a court serving the municipality, as applicable; or (B) a hearing officer serving the municipality under Chapter 682, Transportation Code; (3) false alarm penalties or fees imposed by a county under Chapter 118 or 233, Local Government Code, or by a municipality under a municipal ordinance.

(b) A commissioners court or governing body of a municipality that enters into a contract with a private attorney or private vendor under this article may authorize the addition of a collection fee in the amount of 30 percent on each item described in Subsection (a) that is more than 60 days past due and has been referred to the attorney or vendor for collection. The collection fee does not apply to a case that has been dismissed by a court of competent jurisdiction or to any amount that has been satisfied through time-served credit or community service. The collection fee may be applied to any balance remaining after a partial credit for time served or community service if the balance is more than 60 days past due. Unless the contract provides otherwise, the court shall calculate the amount of any collection fee due to the governmental entity or to the private attorney or private vendor performing the collection services and shall receive all fees, including the collection fee. With respect to cases described by Subsection (a)(2), the amount to which the 30 percent collection fee applies is: (1) the amount to be paid that is communicated to the accused as acceptable to the court under its standard policy for resolution of the case, if the accused voluntarily agrees to pay that amount; or (2) the amount ordered paid by the court after plea or trial.

(c) The governing body of a municipality with a population of more than 1.9 million may authorize the addition of collection fees under Subsection (b) for a collection program performed by employees of the governing body.

(d) A defendant is not liable for the collection fees authorized under Subsection (b) if the court of original jurisdiction has determined the defendant is indigent, or has insufficient resources or income, or is otherwise unable to pay all or part of the underlying fine or costs.

(e) If a county or municipality has entered into a contract under Subsection (a) and a person pays an amount that is less than the aggregate total to be collected under Subsections (a) and (b), the allocation to the comptroller, the county or municipality, and the private attorney or vendor shall be reduced proportionately.

(f) An item subject to collection services under Subsection (a) and to the additional collection fee authorized by Subsection (b) is considered more than 60 days past due under Subsection (b) if it remains unpaid on the 61st day after the following appropriate date: (1) with respect to an item described by Subsection (a)(1), the date on which the debt, fine, fee, forfeited bond, or court cost must be paid in full as determined by the court or hearing officer; (2) with respect to an item described by Subsection (a)(2), the date by which the accused promised to appear or was notified, summoned, or ordered to appear; or (3) with respect to an item described by Subsection (a)(3), the date on which a penalty or fee is due under a rule or order adopted under Chapter 233, Local Government Code, or an ordinance, policy, procedure, or rule of a municipality.

(g) A county or municipality that enters into a contract under Subsection (a) may not use the additional 30 percent collection fee authorized by Subsection (b) for any purpose other than compensating the private attorney or private vendor who earns the fee.

(h) This section does not apply to the collection of commercial bail bonds.

(i) The commissioners court of a county or the governing body of a municipality may enter into a contract as described in this article to collect a debt incurred as a result of the commission of a criminal or civil offense committed before the effective date of this subsection. The collection fee does not apply to a debt collected pursuant to a contract entered into under this subsection.

ordered to be paid by a court or fees imposed by a department.

including expenses of the district attorney's, criminal district attorney's, or county attorney's office, related to a defendant's participation in a pretrial intervention program offered in that county.
(b) The district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney may collect the fee from any defendant who participates in a pretrial intervention program administered in any part by the attorney's office.

as costs under this article and shall deposit the funds in the county treasury, as appropriate.

to the county treasurer for deposit in a fund to be known as the county child abuse prevention fund. A fund designated by this subsection may be used only to fund child abuse prevention programs in the county where the court is located.

case.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the court may adopt an alternative procedure for collecting a past due payment described by Subsection (a). Under the procedure, a peace officer who executes a capias pro fine or who is authorized to arrest a defendant on other grounds and knows that the defendant owes a past due payment described by Subsection (a):
(1) shall inform the defendant of:
(A) the possibility of making an immediate payment of the fine and related court costs by use of a credit or debit card; and
(B) the defendant's available alternatives to making an immediate payment; and
(2) may accept, on behalf of the court, the defendant's immediate payment of the fine and related court costs by use of a credit or debit card, after which the peace officer may release the defendant as appropriate based on the officer's authority for the arrest.
(c) A peace officer accepting a payment under Subsection (b)(2) may also accept payment for fees for the issuance and execution of the capias pro fine.