GOVERNMENT CODE

CHAPTER 77. JUDICIAL COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS


	§ 77.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:                                   
		(1)  "Committee" means the Judicial Committee on 
Information Technology.    
		(2)  "Court" means any tribunal forming a part of the 
judiciary.            
		(3)  "Internet" means the largest nonproprietary 
nonprofit cooperative public computer network, popularly known as 
the Internet.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1327, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.          

SUBCHAPTER B. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS


	§ 77.011.  JUDICIAL COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION 
TECHNOLOGY.  (a)  The committee operates under the direction and 
supervision of the chief justice of the supreme court.
	(b)  The committee shall exercise the powers and perform the 
duties or functions imposed on the committee by this chapter or the 
supreme court.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1327, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.          


	§ 77.012.  MEMBERS.  (a)  The committee is composed of 15 
members appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court.
	(b)  The chief justice of the supreme court, in making 
appointments to the committee, shall attempt to select members who 
are representative of, but not limited to, appellate court judges, 
appellate court clerks, district court judges, county court judges, 
statutory probate judges, justices of the peace, municipal court 
judges, district attorneys, court reporters, court administrators, 
district or county clerks, members of the legislature, attorneys, 
and the general public.  The members shall be selected based on 
their experience, expertise, or special interest in the use of 
technology in court.  A representative from the Office of Court 
Administration of the Texas Judicial System shall serve as a 
nonvoting member of the committee.
	(c)  The chief justice of the supreme court shall designate 
the presiding officer of the committee.  The presiding officer may 
form subcommittees as needed to accomplish the business of the 
committee.
	(d)  A person may not serve on the committee if the person is 
required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305 because of the 
person's activities for compensation on behalf of a profession 
related to the business of the committee.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1327, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.          


	§ 77.013.  COMPENSATION.  A member of the committee is 
not entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement of 
travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting the 
business of the committee, as provided in the General 
Appropriations Act.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1327, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.          


	§ 77.014.  STAFF.  The Office of Court Administration of 
the Texas Judicial System shall provide staff for the committee.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1327, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.          

SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES;  FUNDING


	§ 77.031.  GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES.  The committee 
shall:               
		(1)  develop programs to implement the recommendations 
of the Information Technology Task Force of the Texas Commission on 
Judicial Efficiency;
		(2)  develop minimum standards for voice storage and 
retrieval services, including voice messaging and electronic mail 
services, local area networks, Internet access, electronic data 
interchange, data dictionaries, and other technological needs of 
the judicial system;
		(3)  develop a coordinated statewide computer and 
communication network that is capable of linking all courts in this 
state;
		(4)  encourage efficiency and planning coordination by 
researching the possible uses of existing computer and 
communication networks developed by other state agencies;
		(5)  develop minimum standards for an electronically 
based document system to provide for the flow of information within 
the judicial system in electronic form and recommend rules relating 
to the electronic filing of documents with courts;
		(6)  develop security guidelines for controlling 
access to and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of 
information available in electronic form;
		(7)  develop a state judicial system web page for use on 
the Internet accessible to the public for a reasonable access fee 
set by the supreme court after consultation with the committee;
		(8)  develop minimum standards for an internal computer 
and communication network available only to court staff;
		(9)  recommend pilot programs relating to the testing 
and demonstration of new technologies as applied to the judicial 
system;
		(10)  recommend programs to provide training and 
technical assistance to users of the coordinated statewide computer 
and communication network;
		(11)  develop funding priorities regarding the various 
technological needs of the judicial system;  and
		(12)  recommend distributions to courts from the 
judicial technology account in the judicial fund.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1327, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.          


	§ 77.032.  JUDICIAL TECHNOLOGY ACCOUNT.  (a)  The 
judicial technology account is an account in the judicial fund 
administered by the committee.
	(b)  Money in the judicial technology account may only be 
used for the support of programs that are approved by the committee 
and that provide technological support for the judiciary.  The 
comptroller may pay money from the account only on vouchers 
approved by the committee.
	(c)  The committee shall file a report with the Legislative 
Budget Board at the end of each fiscal year showing disbursements 
from the account and the purpose for each disbursement.  All money 
expended is subject to audit by the comptroller and the state 
auditor.
	(d)  Money available from the judicial technology account 
may be supplemented by local or federal money and private or public 
grants.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1327, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.