LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session April 25, 1999 TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on Judicial Affairs FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB59 by Cuellar (Relating to creating a voter information pamphlet for judicial elections.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB59, As Introduced: negative impact of $(61,677,000) through the * * biennium ending August 31, 2001. * * * * The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal * * basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of * * the bill. * ************************************************************************** General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact: **************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) * * Impact to General Revenue Related * * Funds * * 2000 $(30,838,500) * * 2001 (30,838,500) * * 2002 (30,838,500) * * 2003 (30,838,500) * * 2004 (30,838,500) * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: ***************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from * * General Revenue Fund * * 0001 * * 2000 $(30,838,500) * * 2001 (30,838,500) * * 2002 (30,838,500) * * 2003 (30,838,500) * * 2004 (30,838,500) * ***************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would require the Secretary of State to prepare a pamphlet on the candidates for judicial elections. Candidates would, if they choose, provide information to the Secretary of State for inclusion in the pamphlet. The agency would be required to review the statements provided, prepare and print the pamphlets and mail a copy to each household of a registered voter in the state prior to the date of each judicial election. The bill would require the agency to prepare separate versions of the pamphlets to include information only on the candidates for offices for which the voters who receive the pamphlet are eligible to vote, to the extent practicable. The agency would prescribe the format and length of the candidates' submissions. Methodology The Secretary of State estimates the cost of publishing and mailing the voters guide would be $4.50 each. The agency estimates a voters guide would be mailed to 6,853,000 households in which a registered voter resides at a cost of $30,838,500 for each election. The agency doubles this number per year to reflect the cost of the mailing for the primary election in March and the general election in November. Primary elections and general elections occur in alternating fiscal years. The agency assumes there would be judicial candidates on the ballot of each primary and each general election, therefore, based upon the agency's assumption, the cost would occur in each fiscal year. Local Government Impact No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: 307 Secretary Of State LBB Staff: JK, PE, SG