LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session May 6, 1997 TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair IN RE: Senate Bill No. 1534, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted Committee on Judicial Affairs By: Barrientos House Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB1534 ( Relating to additional court filing fees to provide basic civil legal services to the indigent.) this office has detemined the following: Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB1534-Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net impact of $0 to General Revenue Related Funds through the biennium ending August 31, 1999. The bill would make no appropriation but would provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill. Fiscal Analysis The bill would establish a Basic Civil Legal Services Account in the Judicial Fund administered by the Supreme Court. Filing fees would be created to fund the account. The Supreme Court would establish the criteria for eligibility for the funds and would distribute funds to nonprofit organizations that provided basic civil legal services and met the established income eligibility. No significant fiscal impact to the Supreme Court is anticipated. The bill would implement new filing fees that would be used to provide basic civil legal services to the indigent. The clerk of each court would collect a fee, according to a set schedule, and would be required to remit the fees to the Comptroller at least monthly. The Comptroller would deposit these fees into the dedicated account set up within the Judicial Fund (073) and would make payments from the account only on vouchers approved by the Supreme Court. Methodolgy Estimate of revenue produced: Supreme Court: 989 cases at $25 = $24,725 Courts of Appeals: 4596 cases at $25 = $114,900 District Courts (Other than family district courts): 155,286 cases at $10 = $1,552,860 District Courts (family) 217,751 at $5 = $1,088,755 County Courts: 92,052 cases at $5 = $460,260 Justice of the Peace Courts: 177,350 cases at $2 = $354,700 Total: $3,596,200 X 15% (uncollectible) = $3,056,770 (revenue) 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 New - Basic Civil Legal Services Account in the Judicial Fund NEW-OTH 1998 $3,056,770 1998 3,056,770 2000 3,056,770 2001 3,056,770 2002 3,056,770 Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds: Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative) General Revenue Related Funds Funds 1998 $0 1999 0 2000 0 2001 0 2002 0 Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the provisions of the bill are in effect. No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source: Agencies: 212 Office of Court Administration 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK ,PE ,RR ,DC