LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  February 24, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair            IN RE:  House Joint Resolution
                                                                No. 49
          Committee on Judicial Affairs                              By: Thompson
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HJR49 ( Proposing 
a constitutional amendment relating to the creation of a judicial 
compensation commission.) this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HJR49-As Introduced
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
negative impact of $(71,000) 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 resolution would propose a constitutional amendment to create 
a judicial compensation commission.  If the constitutional amendment 
passes and a judicial compensation commission is established, 
it is estimated that actual expenses for commission members 
will be approximately $5,000 annually.  Under the provisions 
of the enabling legislation, HB 518, Commission members will 
not receive a salary but will be compensated for expenses.  
The cost to implement the provisions of the resolution would 
be the cost of publication for the Secretary of State's Office 
and the cost for actual expenses incurred by the commission 
members.
 
Methodolgy
 
The Secretary of State's Office provided the $71,000 cost of 
publication for the constitutional amendment and the Commission 
on Judicial Efficiency estimates the annual cost of expenses 
for the commission members will be approximately $5,000.  
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           Change in Number   
            Savings/(Cost)     of State                                                                   
            from General       Employees from                                                             
            Revenue Fund       FY 1997                                                                    
            0001                                                                                           
       1998         ($71,000)               0.0                                                      
       1998                 0               0.0                                                      
       2000                 0               0.0                                                      
       2001                 0               0.0                                                      
       2002                 0               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            ($71,000)
               1999                    0
               2000                    0
               2001                    0
               2002                    0
 
          
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,PE ,DC