LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session May 26, 1997 TO: Honorable Bob Bullock IN RE: Senate Bill No. 1417, As Passed 2nd House Lieutenant Governor By: Ellis Senate Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB1417 ( Relating to judicial efficiency.) this office has detemined the following: Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB1417-As Passed 2nd House FN Revision 1 Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net positive impact of $24,765,075 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 establish a Time Payment Fee of $25 which would be assessed by clerks of district, county, municipal and justice courts on persons who sought to pay a court fine or court costs or restitution over a period of time. The county would send 50% of the fees collected to the comptroller to deposit in the General Revenue Fund. The custodian of the county treasury could retain 40% of the fees collected in the general revenue account of the county. The remaining 10% of the fees collected shall be deposited in the general fund of the county to improve judicial efficiency. The bill would direct the Office of Court Administration (OCA) to publish a report regarding the demographic profile of the judicial law clerks and attorneys employed by the courts of the state, directs the agency to adopt rules and forms for collecting and reporting the aggregate clearance rate of cases for the district courts. and other performance information for the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals and fourteen courts of appeals, and gives the agency additional responsibilities. The bill would also establish the Judicial Committee on Information Technology and provides that members may receive reimbursement for travel expenses. The bill also would create the Judicial Technology Account in the Judicial Fund to be used for the support of programs, approved by the committee, that provide technological support to the judiciary. The Supreme Court would be authorized to impose a charge for access to information that exists on the computerized electronic judicial information system. Fiscal Analysis The bill creates the Judicial Technology Account within the Judicial Fund. No source of revenue is provided, the Judicial Technology Account would receive funds by appropriation from the Legislature. Methodolgy It is estimated that approximately thirty five percent of the 5,454,299 eligible cases in district, county, justice and municipal court would take advantage of the time payment fee. At $25 a case, there would be $47,725,116 in time payment fees annually. Fifty percent of the fees, $23,862,558 would go into the state general revenue fund. Forty percent, or $19,090,046 million would be deposited into the general revenue account of the county or municipality. The remaining 10 percent or $4,772,512, would be deposited into the general fund of the county to improve judicial efficiency. Costs to the Office of Court Administration would be: $5,000 in each year for the demographic census, $70,200 in FY 98 and $60,500 in FY 99 for court performance standards, $5,451,306 in FY 98 and $5,436,756 in FY 99 for the Judicial Committee on Information Technology. 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 Probable Change in Number Gain/(Loss) from Savings/(Cost) of State General Revenue from General Employees from Fund Revenue Fund FY 1997 0001 0001 1998 $11,931,279 ($5,526,506) 34.0 1998 23,862,558 (5,502,256) 34.0 2000 23,862,558 (5,502,256) 34.0 2001 23,862,558 (5,502,256) 34.0 2002 23,862,558 (5,502,256) 34.0 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 $6,404,773 1999 18,360,302 2000 18,360,302 2001 18,360,302 2002 18,360,302 Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the provisions of the bill are in effect. It is anticipated that there would be increased revenues of approximately $23.9 million annually to local units of government. Source: Agencies: LBB Staff: JK ,PE ,DC