LAW LIBRARY FUND

(a) The commissioners court shall establish a county law library fund. (b) The county law library fund may be used only for: (1) establishing the law library after the entry of the order creating it; (2) purchasing or leasing library materials, maintaining the library, or acquiring furniture, shelving, or equipment for the library; (3) purchasing or leasing library materials or acquiring library equipment, including computers, software, and subscriptions to obtain access to electronic research networks for use by judges in the county; or (4) establishing and maintaining a self-help center to provide resources to county residents representing themselves in legal matters. (c) Money in the fund may be used for the purposes described by Subsection (b)(3) only if the county's law librarian or, if the county has no law librarian, the person responsible for the county's law library, authorizes the use in consultation with the county auditor. (d) Expenditures by a county under Subsection (b)(3) may not exceed $175,000 each year. Any unexpended and unobligated balance allocated by the county for Subsection (b)(3) purposes that remains at the end of the county's fiscal year remains available for use for Subsection (b)(3) purposes during subsequent fiscal years. (e) The county law library fund shall be administered by or under the direction of the commissioners court.