LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 5, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on
               Judicial Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB2645  by Capelo (Relating to the imposition of costs on
               certain convictions to pay for expenses related to jury
               sequestration.), As Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
**************************************************************************
  
The bill would impose an additional local court cost fee of $2.50 on
felony offenses and an additional local court cost fee of $1.25 on
misdemeanor offenses.  The additional fee would be called a jury
sequestration fee and would be deposited with the county treasurer to be
used only to defray the costs associated with sequestering a jury in a
criminal case.
 
This bill would take effect September 1, 2001.

  
Local Government Impact
  
Under current law, there is no court cost associated with the generation
of local revenue to offset the cost of sequestering a jury.

The Bexar County Auditor estimated that under the proposed provisions
they would collect approximately  $6,000 on felony cases and $30,000 on
misdemeanor cases over a 12-month period.   The auditor indicated jurors
are only sequestered for felony cases.
 
The Lubbock County Auditor's Office reported approximately $1,500 is
spent each year for juror sequestration expenses.  The Polk County
Auditor stated Polk county has only had to sequester a jury once.  Based
on the proposed new local fees, the county would generate approximately
$12,000 to $15,000 annually.  The Hidalgo County Auditor estimated the
county would collect approximately $30,000 in juror sequestration fees
over a 12-month period under the provisions of the bill.  He indicated
they would break even since their juror sequestration costs are
approximately the same.

The impact to counties would vary depending on the number of offenses in
the county and the number of juries sequestered.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, DB