LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 75th Regular Session April 6, 1997 TO: Honorable Rodney Ellis, Chair IN RE: Senate Joint Resolution No. 25 Committee on Jurisprudence By: Duncan/et al. Senate Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SJR25 ( Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for gubernatorial appointments to fill vacancies in the offices of appellate justices and judges, for a partisan election followed by retention elections) this office has detemined the following: Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SJR25-As Introduced No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated, other than the cost of publication. The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $71,000. This bill proposes an amendment to Article V of the Texas Constitution, which 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. Vacancies in office would be filled by appointment of the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, for an initial term that would end January 1 of the first odd-numbered year that begins 18 months after the appointment is filled. The appointee would run for a full six-year term in a partisan election in the even-numbered year preceding the date that the initial term ends. The fiscal impact on local government would be the normal cost of conducting local elections but no other fiscal implications to local governments are anticipated. Source: Agencies: 307 Secretary of State LBB Staff: JK ,BB ,JC