LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
May 16, 1997
TO: Honorable Rodney Ellis, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 1175, As Engrossed
Committee on Jurisprudence By: Thompson
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB1175 ( Relating
to the method of selection of certain justices and judges.)
this office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB1175-As Engrossed
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
impact of $0 to General Revenue Related Funds through the biennium
ending August 31, 1999.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions
of the bill.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Election Code to provide for the nonpartisan
election of Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals and Court
of Appeals Justices at the end of their terms. The election
of judges would be on a nonpartisan ballot and would be held
in conjunction with the general election for state and county
officers. The bill would also require a runoff election in
the nonpartisan election if no candidate receives thirty percent
of the votes cast.
Methodolgy
The Secretary of State assumed that two candidates in each of
the races would file for nonpartisan election with the Secretary
of State, rather than file in the primary elections. Although
the bill states that there is a filing fee required to run for
office, the bill does not state what the fee would be. This
fiscal note is based on the assumption that the filing fees
would be the current filing fees.
There would be a loss of
revenue in the primary finance fund and a gain in the same amount
to the general revenue fund.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage
is estimated as follows:
Five Year Impact:
Fiscal Year Probable Revenue Probable Revenue
Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from
General Revenue General Revenue
Fund Fund
0001 0001
1998 $87,000 ($87,000)
1998 0 0
2000 168,000 (168,000)
2001 0 0
2002 93,000 (93,000)
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
General Revenue Related Funds
Funds
1998 $0
1999 0
2000 0
2001 0
2002 0
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government
is anticipated.
Source: Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff: JK ,BB ,PE ,JC