LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
March 31, 1997
TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 2917
Committee on Judicial Affairs By: Berlanga
House
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB2917 ( Relating
to additional court filing fees to provide basic civil legal
services to the indigent.) this office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB2917-As Introduced
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.
The bill would establish a Basic Civil Legal
Services Account in the Judicial Fund administered by the Supreme
Court. Filing fees would be created to fund the account. The
Supreme Court would establish the criteria for eligibility for
the funds and would distribute funds to nonprofit organizations
that provided basic civil legal services and met the established
income eligibility. No significant fiscal impact to the Supreme
Court is anticipated.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would implement new filing fees that would be used
to provide basic civil legal services to the indigent. The
clerk of each court would collect a fee, according to a set
schedule, and would be required to remit the fees to the Comptroller
at least monthly. The Comptroller would deposit these fees
into the dedicated account set up within the Judicial Fund (073)
and would make payments from the account only on vouchers approved
by the Supreme Court.
Methodolgy
Estimate of revenue produced:
Supreme Court: 989 cases at
$25 = $24,725
Courts of Appeals: 4596 cases at $25 = $114,900
District
Courts (Other than family district courts): 155,286 cases at
$10 = $1,552,860
District Courts (family) 217,751 at $5 = $1,088,755
County
Courts: 92,052 cases at $5 = $460,260
Justice of the Peace
Courts: 177,350 cases at $2 = $354,700
Total: $3,596,200 X
15% (uncollectable) = $3,056,770 (revenue)
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 Change in Number
Gain/(Loss) from of State
Judicial Fund Employees from
FY 1997
0573
1998 $3,056,770 0.0
1998 3,056,770 0.0
2000 3,056,770 0.0
2001 3,056,770 0.0
2002 3,056,770 0.0
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds
during each of the first five years is estimated as follows:
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: 212 Office of Court Administration
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff: JK ,PE ,DC