LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session April 24, 2001 TO: Honorable Royce West, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB3174 by Solis, Jim (Relating to the operation of the Court of Appeals for the Thirteenth Court of Appeals District and the creation of an appellate judicial system for the district.), As Engrossed ************************************************************************** * No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** Local Government Impact The bill would require the court of appeals for the Thirteenth Court of Appeals District to be held in Edinburg as well as in Corpus Christi. Hidalgo County would be required to furnish and equip suitable rooms in Edinburg for the court. The bill would allow the 20 counties in the district to pay an automobile allowance not to exceed $15,000 per year to each of the justices. Nueces County would be required to pay the total supplemental salaries, car allowances, and fringe benefits to the justices each year. Each of the other counties in the district would be required to reimburse Nueces County for that county's portion, based on the proportion that county's population bears to the total population of all the counties in the district. Each county in the district would be required to establish an appellate judicial system to assist the court of appeals and defray costs associated with the supplements, car allowances, and fringe benefits. Each county would be required to impose a court cost not to exceed $5 for each civil suit filed in county court, county court at law, probate court, or district court. The fee would not apply to suits for delinquent taxes. The fees would be deposited in a local appellate judicial system fund. The bill would take effect September 1, 2001. The Hidalgo County Auditor reported the county would incur costs of $200,000 for renovation for the room to be used for the court of appeals in Edinburg, as well as $4,945 in operating expenses for a total of $204,945 in the first year of operation. According to the Annual Report of the Texas Judicial System, 34,802 civil cases were filed in the district during fiscal year 2000. If the maximum $5 fee were imposed, $174,010 would be generated for the appellate judicial system fund. Source Agencies: 212 Office of Court Administration, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK, TB, DB