CS/CS/HB 797 Summary

• Authorizes jurors and witnesses to be paid by check, cash, or warrant within 20 days after completion of service, with updated procedures for documenting payments.

• Modifies garnishment procedures to require parties to pay a $100 deposit directly to the garnishee rather than in the court registry, and eliminates a required clerk fee collection.

• Revises tax certificate sale and redemption requirements, including provisions for tax certificates under $250 on homestead properties and timelines for certificateholder payments of resale costs.

• Requires certificateholders to pay one-half of the assessed value of homestead property within 30 days of sale, with land placed on "lands available for taxes" list if payment fails.

• Establishes procedures for disbursement of excess proceeds from property sales according to claim priorities, allows clerk to initiate interpleader actions for conflicting claims, and permits courts to award reasonable fees and costs.

• Effective date: July 1, 2014.