LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                            February 21, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on
               Judicial Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1035  by Thompson (Relating to the educational
               requirements for certain justices of the peace.), As
               Introduced
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill would require Justices of the Peace to attend 80 hours of
training in the performance of their duties within one year from the date
they are elected into office; otherwise, they could be found to be
incompetent and removed from office.  The Act would take effect September
1, 2001 and apply only to justices elected after that date.

Under current statute, new Justices of the Peace (JP) are required to
attend 40 hours of training.  The training cost to the local
jurisdiction would double per JP under the provisions of the bill.
There are 838 Justice of the Peace Courts across the state. For fiscal
year 2002, it is estimated the increase in cost to train all newly
elected JPs statewide would be $182,000 above current training costs. In
fiscal year 2003, there would be fewer new JPs and the additional cost
of training would be $37,000 above the current cost.
  
  
Source Agencies:   211   Court of Criminal Appeals
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, DB