LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  April 8, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Patricia Gray, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 1962
          Committee on Civil Practices                              By: Howard
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB1962 ( Relating 
to alternative dispute resolution systems established by counties.) 
this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB1962-As Introduced
         
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
         

         
 
          
This bill would allow counties to apply a $10 mediation fee 
to civil cases filed in justice courts, allowing counties to 
increase revenues associated with such cases.

Dallas County 
estimates that this bill would increase revenues by $230,000 
per year, based on 23,000 civil cases filed in justice courts 
in calendar year 1996.  Travis County estimates that the bill 
would result in increased revenues of $70,000 per year.  Other 
counties which assess mediation fees would experience similar 
revenue increases, depending on the number of civil cases filed 
in justice courts. 
          
   Source:            Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,PE ,TL