LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 12, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on
               Judicial Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB2863  by Uher (Relating to the salary of a retired
               judge or justice assigned to a district court.), As
               Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  HB2863, As Introduced:  negative impact of $(2,779,094) 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                         $(1,389,547)  *
          *       2001                          (1,389,547)  *
          *       2002                          (1,389,547)  *
          *       2003                          (1,389,547)  *
          *       2004                          (1,389,547)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
         *****************************************************
         * Fiscal Year      Probable Savings/(Cost) from      *
         *                      General Revenue Fund          *
         *                              0001                  *
         *      2000                             $(1,389,547) *
         *      2001                              (1,389,547) *
         *      2002                              (1,389,547) *
         *      2003                              (1,389,547) *
         *      2004                              (1,389,547) *
         *****************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would repeal Government Code, Section 74.061, subsections (h)
and (i) which limits a judge's salary while temporarily assigned to a
court outside of the judge's normal jurisdiction to 85% of a district
judge's salary.
  
  
Methodology
  
The total amount paid for visiting judges during fiscal year 1998 was
$9,196,024.  Due to the 85% limitation, the maximum salary allowed for
visiting judges is $85,217.  By dividing the total amount paid by the
maximum salary allowed we arrive at 107.91 Full Time Equivalents.  By
multiplying the Full Time Equivalents by the salary allowed under the
bill (98,100 in fiscal year 1998) we arrive at an amount of $10,585,971.
The difference of $1,389,947 ($10,585,971 - $9,196,024) represents the
continuing fiscal impact of the bill.

Information from the Comptroller of Public Accounts was used to determine
the amount paid to visiting judges in fiscal year 1998.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, PE, DG