LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              March 26, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on
               Judicial Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB3169  by Thompson (Relating to the composition of the
               courts of appeals.), As Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  HB3169, As Introduced:  positive impact of $30,966,784 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                *
          *       2003                          $30,966,784  *
          *       2004                           46,450,177  *
          *       2005                           46,450,177  *
          *       2006                           46,450,177  *
          *       2007                           46,450,177  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
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*Fiscal    Probable Savings/(Cost) from     Change in Number of State     *
* Year         General Revenue Fund           Employees from FY 2002      *
*                      0001                                               *
*  2003                       $30,966,784                         (277.0) *
*  2004                        46,450,177                         (416.0) *
*  2005                        46,450,177                         (416.0) *
*  2006                        46,450,177                         (416.0) *
*  2007                        46,450,177                         (416.0) *
***************************************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would repeal provisions of Chapter 22 of the Government Code
which would eliminate the 14 courts of appeals.  The bill would divide
the state into two court of appeals districts, 1-A and 2-A, with a court
of appeals in each district.  District 1-A would encompass 182 counties,
and District 2-A would encompass 72 counties.

This bill would take effect December 31, 2003.
  
  
Methodology
  
The estimate assumes that the current courts of appeals would be
abolished at an annual savings to the state of $46.5 million per year.
However, any costs associated with the operation of the two new judicial
districts have not been considered in this estimate.

The costs or savings related to the cessation of the current rates of
adjudication of civil or criminal appeals have not been considered in
this estimate.  Additionally, the costs relating to the loss of  fees
collections from appellate courts have not been considered in this
estimate.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
The costs or savings to local government would vary by county depending
on the impact of the cessation of the current rates of adjudication of
civil or criminal appeals per county.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts, 212   Office of
                   Court Administration
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, JN