LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          April 24, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair    IN RE:  House Bill No. 3203
         Committee on Judicial Affairs                  By: Puente
         House of Representatives
         Austin, Texas






FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
3203 (relating to the election of municipal court of record
judges in San Antonio) this office has determined the following:

The bill would establish provisions for the election of 10 full-
time municipal court of record judges and the appointment of
part-time municipal court of record judges for the City of San
Antonio.  The bill would require the City of San Antonio, by
charter, to have an election for 10 full-time municipal court of
record judges from single-member districts.  The bill would
require the judges to live within the districts from which they
are elected and would require the city council to base the
districts on the boundaries of city council districts.  Terms of
service would be for four years.

The bill would require the city council to appoint part-time
municipal court of record judges.  The part-time judges would
serve at the will of the majority of the full-time judges and
would not serve a term.  A vacancy in the office of a part-time
judge would be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment.

Currently there are 10 full-time judges and six part-time judges
working in municipal courts of record in San Antonio.  This
estimate assumes that the bill would not authorize 20 full-time
judges, but would replace the existing 10 full-time judges
elected from single-member districts.  Unless more than 6 part-
time judges are hired under the provisions of this bill, there
would be no fiscal implication to the City of San Antonio for
judges salaries.    




 The bill would create the need for special elections in 1996 and
1998.  The cost of a special election to the City of San Antonio
would range from approximately $200,000 to $350,000 per election.

No fiscal implication to the state is anticipated.





Source:   Comptroller of Public Accounts
          LBB Staff: JK, DC, RR