LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
May 14, 1999
TO: Honorable Rodney Ellis, Chair, Senate Committee on
Jurisprudence
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB400 by Thompson (Relating to the creation and
composition of certain district courts), Committee Report
2nd House, Substituted
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB400, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted: negative impact *
* of $(2,895,433) 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. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2000 $(1,384,176) *
* 2001 (1,511,257) *
* 2002 (1,521,472) *
* 2003 (1,521,472) *
* 2004 (1,521,472) *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*Fiscal Probable Savings/(Cost) from Change in Number of State *
* Year General Revenue Fund Employees from FY 1999 *
* 0001 *
* 2000 $(1,384,176) 11.0 *
* 2001 (1,511,257) 12.0 *
* 2002 (1,521,472) 12.0 *
* 2003 (1,521,472) 12.0 *
* 2004 (1,521,472) 12.0 *
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Fiscal Analysis
The bill would create twelve Judicial Districts. The bill would also
alter the jurisdictions of several existing Judicial Districts.
Methodology
The annual cost of the salary and benefits of a district judge to the
state is $127,081.
Ten of the twelve Judicial Districts would be created effective September
1, 1999 and cost the state the entire $127,081 during fiscal year 2000
and each year thereafter. One of the twelve Judicial Districts would be
created effective October 1, 1999 and cost the state $116,866 during
fiscal year 2000, and $127,081 each fiscal year thereafter. One of the
twelve Judicial Districts would be created effective October 1, 2000 and
cost the state $116,866 during fiscal year 2001, and $127,081 each year
thereafter.
The 114th and 294th Judicial Districts would become single-county
districts effective September 1, 1999. These districts would no longer
be eligible for the $3,000 travel allotment paid by the state to
districts composed of two counties. This would result in a savings to
the state of $6,000 each fiscal year. This savings would be offset as
the bill would add two counties to the jurisdiction of the 83rd Judicial
District costing the state $6,000 each fiscal year. The district
attorney of the 83rd judicial district would also represent the two newly
added counties, entitling the attorney to an additional travel allowance
of $3,500 each fiscal year.
Information provided by the Comptroller of Public Accounts was used to
determine the salary and benefit levels of district court judges.
Local Government Impact
The counties gaining judicial districts would be responsible for the
operating and capital costs of the courts.
Source Agencies:
LBB Staff: JK, PE, DG