LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session February 18, 1997 TO: Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair IN RE: Senate Bill No. 328, Committee Report 1st House Committee on Finance By: Brown Senate 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-Committee Report 1st House No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 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 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 will 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 will be made by the commission in a biennial report to the legislature. If neither house of the legislature, by a majority vote, rejects the recommendations within 180 days of the day on which the report is delivered, they have the full force of law. 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 will provide administrative support for the commission. In addition to the costs of expenses incurred by the commission, there will 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 takes effect on the date on which the constitutional amendment proposed by SJR 20, 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, takes 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. LOCAL 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 ,RR ,DC