(A) The Municipal Court Building Security Fund (referred to in this section as the “Fund”) is hereby created. All monies deposited into the Fund shall be expended in accordance with this section.
(B) Any defendant convicted in a trial in Municipal Court for a misdemeanor offense shall be charged and shall pay as a cost of court, in addition to all other costs of court, a security fee in an amount set or required by State of Texas law. For purposes of this section:
(1) A defendant is considered convicted if:
(a) A sentence is imposed on the defendant;
(b) The defendant receives community supervision, including deferred adjudication;
(c) The court defers final disposition of the defendant’s case; or
(d) Under any other conditions set by law whereby a person is deemed or considered convicted.
(2) A “trial” means the whole or any part of the procedure which the law provides for bringing offenders to justice, including:
(a) The entry of a judgment of conviction, regardless of the imposition of a sentence or fine;
(b) The entering of a plea by a defendant and the deferring of final disposition of the defendant’s case; and
(c) Any other method provided by law for the final disposition of a charge against a defendant.
(C) The Clerk of the Municipal Court shall collect the costs and pay them to the Town Treasurer or to any other official who discharges the duties commonly delegated to the Town Treasurer. The Town Treasurer shall establish a separate fund to be known as the Municipal Court Security Fund and the costs imposed by this section shall be deposited into the Fund.
(D) Funds shall be administered under the direction of the City Council. The Fund may be used to finance the following when used for the purpose of providing security services for the Municipal Court:
(1) The purchase or repair of x-ray machines and conveying systems;
(2) Hand-held metal detectors;
(3) Walk-through metal detectors;
(4) Identification cards and systems;
(5) Electronic locking and surveillance equipment;
(6) Bailiffs, municipal police officers or police reserve officers, or contract security personnel during times when they are providing appropriate security services;
(7) Signage;
(8) Confiscated weapon inventory and tracking systems;
(9) Locks, chains, or other security hardware;
(10) The cost and expense of providing continuing education of security issues to personnel who work with or for the Municipal Court, including the judges of the Court; and/or
(11) Under any other circumstances that may be allowed by law at the present time or in the future.
(Ord. 188, passed 8-7-1997)