LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                            February 21, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Fred M. Bosse, Chair, House Committee on Civil
               Practices
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1364  by Goodman (Relating to the funding of
               alternative dispute resolution systems.), As Introduced
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill would increase the court cost that could be assessed as a court
cost for each civil case filed in a county or district court in the
county from $10 to $15 , with certain types of civil cases excluded. The
court costs assessed in justice courts for civil cases would be increased
from $3 to $5. These fees are collected specifically for establishing
and maintaining an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system.  The bill
would take effect September 1, 2001 and apply only to civil cases filed
after that date.

As an example of the local impact the increase could have, Travis County
(population of near 700,000 according to the 2000-2001 Texas Almanac)
reports that the county courts-at-law annually collect $61,000 for the
ADR system and the probate courts collect $27,000, for a total of at
least $88,000 annually under the current fee structure.  If the fees
were increased as proposed, Travis County anticipates an increase of
approximately $132,000 the first year of implementation, with that
amount remaining somewhat constant or growing slightly if cases increase
each year thereafter. Every county ADR system would experience a
positive fiscal impact, with the amount varying by county size and
dependent on the number of civil cases filed.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, DB