LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          April 19, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Ken Armbrister, Chair        IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 94
         Committee on State Affairs                     By: Ellis
         Senate
         Austin, Texas







FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on Senate Bill No.
94 (Relating to the regulation of political contributions,
political expenditures, and political advertising in connection
with certain judicial candidates and officeholders, to personal
financial statements filed by certain judicial officeholders, and
to certain appointments made by trial judges; providing civil and
criminal penalties.) this office has determined the following:

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions
of the bill.

The bill would amend the Election Code, which would affect the
filing requirements of judicial candidates and officeholders, by
requiring them to file with both the Ethics Commission and the
clerk of the court for which office is sought.  Judicial officers
would be required to include additional information with their
filings.  The bill would also amend Chapter 572 of the Government
Code to include the judge of a statutory county court with the
definition of "elected officer."  The bill would place limits on
the time period for making political contributions in connection
with an election and would require additional information on
candidate and officeholder reports.

The bill would require current officeholders and candidates for
positions of county district judge and statutory county judge to
file with the Texas Ethics Commission.  The Commission estimates
that approximately 1300 new filers would be added to those
already filing with the Commission, including both officeholders    




and candidates for judicial positions.  The Ethics Commission's 
estimated cost for implementing this bill is derived from the
salary and benefit costs for one administrative technician, plus
operating expenses, and one-time capital equipment costs.

The bill would increase the number of filings with local
governments, although the fiscal impact on units of local
government would vary.  District clerks are not currently
required to be a depository for campaign or officeholder reports
and have no internal mechanism already in place to receive
reports required under this bill.  The Harris County District
Clerk's Office estimates that implementation of this bill would
cost $39,605 for initial start-up and salary costs, with
continuing fiscal implications from the salary of one additional
employee.

County clerks currently are required to be a depository for
certain local filings and already have systems in place to accept
filings.  There should be no significant fiscal impact on county
clerks from this bill.

The probable fiscal implication of implementing the provisions of
the bill during each of the first  five years following passage
is estimated as follows, per estimate of the Texas Ethics
Commission:
     



          Fiscal    Probable Cost Out       Change in
           Year        of  General       Number of State
                         Revenue         Employees from
                      Consolidated -         FY 1995
                    State Ethics Fund
                           104

        1996                   $35,088               1.0
        1997                    30,013               1.0

        1998                    30,013               1.0

        1999                    30,013               1.0
        2000                    30,013               1.0



       Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the
provisions of the bill are in effect.

The fiscal implication to  units of local government cannot be
determined.    




Source:   Legislative Budget Board
          LBB Staff: JK, JC, DF