LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session April 10, 2001 TO: Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on Judicial Affairs FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB3627 by Hope (Relating to the creation of the County Court at Law No. 4 of Montgomery County and to the jurisdiction, operation, and administration of the county courts at law in Montgomery County.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * ************************************************************************** Local Government Impact The bill would create an additional county court at law for Montgomery County. It would also make various administrative changes relating to concurrent jurisdiction with the district court and the justice court, the terms of the court, the practice of law by judges and juries. The bill would take effect and the new court would be created on January 1, 2002. The average estimated operating expenses of the three existing county courts at law, provided by the Montgomery County Auditor, were used to estimate the operating expenses of the new court. The total for the new court, including auxiliary salaries and benefits, would be $532,762 a year. The commissioners court is unsure about the infrastructure arrangements that would need to be made to accommodate the housing and operation of the new court, but capital expenses would be an additional and significant cost. The administrative changes included in the bill do not have fiscal implications. In fiscal year 2002, the operating cost of the court would be $355,175. For each fiscal year thereafter, operating expenditures would total $532,762. Capital costs, when known, would increase these figures significantly. Similar fiscal implications would continue as long as the provisions of the bill remain in effect. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, TB, DB