LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
May 30, 1997
TO: Honorable Bob Bullock Honorable James E. "Pete" Laney
Lieutenant Governor Speaker of the House
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB20 ( Relating
to the creation, reorganization, and operation of certain district
courts.) this office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB20-Conference Committee Report
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
negative impact of $(1,333,472) 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 create the following 15 new district
courts: the 395th Judicial District in Fort Bend County and
the 396th Judicial District in Tarrant County effective September
1, 1997. The bill would create the 379th and 393rd Judicial
District in Bexar County, the 397th Judicial District in Harris
County, the 398th Judicial District in Galveston County, the
399th Judicial District in Travis County, the 400th Judicial
District in Nueces County, the 401st Judicial District in Tom
Green County, the 402nd Judicial District in Webb County, the
403rd Judicial District in Fort Bend County, and the 404th Judicial
District in Cameron County, the 405th Judicial District in Smith
County, and the 406th and 407th Judicial Districts in Bexar
County, effective January 1, 1999. The bill would remove Culberson
and Hudspeth Counties from the 205th Judicial District and transfer
the cases from those counties to the 394th Judicial District.
The bill would add Terrell and Val Verde Counties to the 83rd
judicial district. The bill would also direct the district
attorney for the 63rd district to act as district attorney for
the 83rd judicial district.
Fiscal Analysis
The state would incur the liability for judges' salaries and
benefits for two additional district court judges beginning
with fiscal year 1998 and would incur liability for 13 more
district judges beginning in January of 1999.
Methodolgy
Salary and benefits for state district judges is $105,270 annually.
In fiscal year 1998, fiscal liability of the state would increase
by $210,540. In January of 1999 state liability would increase
by $912,392 to $1,122,932 as the 13 additional Judicial Districts
were created. Additional annual costs to the state effective
in fiscal year 2000 would be $1,579,050.
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 ($210,540) 2.0
1998 (1,122,932) 15.0
2000 (1,579,050) 15.0
2001 (1,579,050) 15.0
2002 (1,579,050) 15.0
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
General Revenue Related Funds
Funds
1998 ($210,540)
1999 (1,122,932)
2000 (1,579,050)
2001 (1,579,050)
2002 (1,579,050)
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
Bexar County would have operating costs of $179,200 per court
annually with a one time capital cost of $51,373 per court for
a total cost in fiscal year 1999 of $922,292. In 2000 and thereafter
Bexar County officials anticipate operating costs for the four
new courts would be $716,800.
Harris County officials anticipate
the cost to the county would be $1,344,663 in fiscal year 1999
and $1,792,880 thereafter.
Tarrant County officials expect
an operating cost of $1.9 million annually, beginning in fiscal
year 1998.
Travis County officials expect annual operating
expenses of $360,290, with a one time capital cost of $47,680.
Total costs to Travis County are expected to be $317,896 in
fiscal year 1999 and $360,290 thereafter.
Tom Green County
officials anticipate a capital expense of $3,000 in fiscal year
1999 and, beginning in fiscal year 2000, annual operating costs
of between $45,000 and $65,000.
Fort Bend County officials
expect a total cost of $354,115 in fiscal year 1998 increasing
to $608,230 annually in fiscal year 1999, with the addition
of the second court.
Webb County officials expect the cost
to the county would be $532,736 in fiscal year 1999. Annual
operating costs to the county after fiscal year 1999 are expected
to be approximately $243,651.
Galveston County officials
anticipate the county would incur costs of $350,000 in fiscal
year 1999, with annual operating costs of $300,000.
Nueces
County officials expect that the fiscal year 1999 costs would
be $135,000 with annual operating expenses thereafter at $180,000.
Cameron
County officials expect the cost would be $415,311 in fiscal
year 1999, with annual operating expenses of $353,753 thereafter.
Smith
County officials anticipate initial costs in fiscal year 1999
of $615,000, with annual operating expenses of $465,000.
Source: Agencies:
LBB Staff: JK ,PE ,DC