LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 6, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Tom Ramsay, Chair, House Committee on County
               Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB2497  by Haggerty (Relating to county fees for handling
               certain registry funds.), As Introduced
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill would lower to 5 percent the interest percentage on registry
accounts that the county may retain to compensate for accounting and
administrative expenses.  The bill would also lower to 2.5 percent the
fees that can be charged for handling registry funds that have not earned
interest, not to exceed $25.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2001. 

Currently, counties may keep 10 percent of the interest earned on
registry accounts to compensate for expenses.  Counties may also charge a
fee of 5 percent, not to exceed $50, to handle registry accounts that
have not earned interest.

Representatives from Runnels and Rusk counties indicated the provisions
of the bill would have a negative impact on their counties, but they
could not estimate the exact amount of the loss.  A representative from
Smith County reported that this cut back in fees would have minimal
impact.
 
It is anticipated that counties would experience a revenue loss of half
the amount currently retained for accounting and administrative expenses
associated with registry accounts. The significance of the impact would
vary by county.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, DB