LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session April 1, 2001 TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on Judicial Affairs FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1451 by Dunnam (Relating to oversight of and public access to the supreme court and the court of criminal appeals.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB1451, As Introduced: negative impact of $(55,530) through the * * biennium ending August 31, 2003. * * * * 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 * * 2002 $(27,765) * * 2003 (27,765) * * 2004 (27,765) * * 2005 (27,765) * * 2006 (27,765) * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: ***************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from * * General Revenue Fund * * 0001 * * 2002 $(27,765) * * 2003 (27,765) * * 2004 (27,765) * * 2005 (27,765) * * 2006 (27,765) * ***************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would amend Chapter 22 of the Government Code to provide that, with limited exceptions, the supreme court and the court of criminal appeals may not issue a rule or an amendment to a rule unless it is approved by the legislature during a regular legislative session. The courts rules committees would be subject to the Public Information Act and Open Meetings Act, and the court must prepare a fiscal note for each rule or amendment. The Comptroller would be directed to assist in the preparation of the economic impact statement, if requested by the court. For each proposed rule or amendment, the Office of Court Administration must develop and compile an opinion poll of appeals court judges, district judges, county judges, statutory county court judges, and statutory probate court judges, and report the results of the opinion poll to the legislature. This bill would take effect September 1, 2001. Methodology This estimate assumes that there are approximately 15 rules changes per year by the two courts combined, with an estimated average cost of $1,851 per poll. This estimate is based on a cost of $1.50 for each of 1,234 judges. The $1.50 is based on costs of paper, envelopes, postage, and handling for the poll to each judge and the return envelope. This estimate assumes that the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Office of Court Administration, and the Comptroller's Office currently have the staff necessary to implement the provisions of the bill. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: 200 Supreme Court, 212 Office of Court Administration, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK, SD, TB