LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session May 3, 2001 TO: Honorable Frank Madla, Chair, Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB200 by Pitts (Relating to the creation of an additional county court at law in Ellis County and to the jurisdiction of the county courts at law in that county.), As Engrossed ************************************************************************** * No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** Local Government Impact The bill would create an additional county court at law for Ellis County. Further, the county courts at law of Ellis County would have concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in civil cases. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2001. The court would be created on December 31, 2001 or on an earlier date, as determined by the commissioners court. According to the County Auditor, current operating expenses of the existing county court at law were used to estimate what operating expenses of the new court would be. The total for the new court, including ancillary services that must be increased, would be $452,136 per year. The cost includes salaries and benefits. Ellis County is building a new court building, which would house both courts. The cost of the building that would be attributable to the new court, at $100 per square foot, would be $355,200, to be paid over 20 years. Additional capital costs for furniture and equipment would total $89,500. This would be a one time expense. The County Judge provided data for capital expenses. The first year the court would be in operation, capital expenditures would be approximately $107,260, and operating expenditures would be $452,136, for a total of $559,396. In the following years, capital expenditures would decrease to $17,760, and the operating expenditures would be $452,136 per year, for a total of $469,896. Similar fiscal implications would continue until the debt for the new court building is paid in full. Source Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK, DB, TB