LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
April 6, 1997
TO: Honorable Rodney Ellis, Chair IN RE: Senate Bill No. 621
Committee on Jurisprudence By: Duncan/et al.
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB621 ( Relating
to the appointment, election, and retention or rejection of
appellate justices and judges and to elimination of a straight-party
vote in connection with appellate and district) this office
has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB621-As Introduced
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a
net negative impact of $(123,000) 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
This bill would be the enabling legislation for SJR 25, which
relates to the appointment, election, and retention election
of appellate justices and judges. The bill would require justices
and judges on the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals and
Courts of Appeals to stand for a partisan election for a full
six-year term and then stand for a nonpartisan retention election
for a full six-year term.
The bill would eliminate straight
party voting for both district and appellate judges and would
prohibit write-in voting in a retention election.
Methodolgy
The Secretary of State estimates that the loss of filing fees
for appellate judges who would run in a retention election would
be $123,000 in fiscal year 1998 for 12 statewide positions for
places on the Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals and
17 appellate positions for places on the Courts of Appeals;
$204,000 in fiscal year 2000 for the 12 statewide positions
and 44 appellate positions; and $129,000 in fiscal year 2002
for the 12 statewide positions and 19 appellate positions.
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
Gain/(Loss) from
General Revenue
Fund
0001
1998 ($123,000)
1998 0
2000 (204,000)
2001 0
2002 (129,000)
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 ($123,000)
1999 0
2000 (204,000)
2001 0
2002 (129,000)
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source: Agencies: 307 Secretary of State
LBB Staff: JK ,BB ,JC