GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 2. JUDICIAL BRANCH

SUBTITLE F. COURT ADMINISTRATION

CHAPTER 77. JUDICIAL COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 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, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

SUBCHAPTER B. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Sec. 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, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 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, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 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, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 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, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES;  FUNDING

Sec. 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, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.