LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  March 14, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 328, As Engrossed
          Committee on Judicial Affairs                              By: Brown
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB328 ( Relating 
to the creation of a judicial compensation commission) this 
office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB328-As Engrossed   FN Revision 1
         
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
         

         
 
Fiscal  Analysis

The bill would establish the Judicial Compensation 
Commission, comprised of nine members appointed by the governor 
with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The bill provides 
that the commission would recommend salaries to be paid by the 
State for all justices and judges of the Supreme Court, Court 
of Criminal Appeals, Courts of Appeals and the District Courts. 
 These recommendations would be made by the commission in a 
biennial report to the legislature.   The commission members 
would not receive compensation for their service but would receive 
actual and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of 
their duties.  The Office of Court Administration would provide 
administrative support for the commission.  In addition to the 
costs of expenses incurred by the commission, there would be 
an increase in costs to the state for all recommendations implemented 
by the commission. 

The bill would repeal Section 659.012 
of the Government Code which currently sets the salary differentials 
for the supreme court, court of criminal appeals, appellate 
court and district courts.  The act would take effect on the 
date on which the constitutional amendment proposed by SJR 20, 
75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, took effect.

Methodology

The 
Office of Court Administration estimates the cost of administrative 
support at $2,000 annually.  Expenses for nine Judicial Compensation 
Commission members are expected to be approximately $800 per 
commission member or $7,200 annually.

Similar annual fiscal 
implications would continue as long as the provisions of the 
bill are in effect.

          
There would be no cost to local units of government for the 
creation and operation of the commission. However,  it is projected 
that local governmental entities could be impacted by any recommendation 
that resulted in an increase in district court judges' salaries 
since various local judges' salaries are currently determined 
using the district judge's salary as a standard.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,PE ,DC