LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              March 8, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Royce West, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Jurisprudence
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB683  by Shapleigh (Relating to the creation of
               additional statutory county courts in El Paso County and
               to the administration, jurisdiction, and operation of
               statutory and district courts in that county.), As
               Introduced
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill would create two new county criminal courts at law in El Paso
County.  The new courts would give preference to criminal law matters,
and County Criminal Court No. 1 would have exclusive jurisdiction over
environmental offenses. The bill would take effect and the new courts
would be created January 1, 2002. 

The Comptroller of Public Accounts contacted the El Paso County Auditor's
Office and was told the estimated budget for the new courts would be
$1,331,768 for salaries and operating expenses.  There would also be a
one time capital outlay for equipment of $62,000.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, DB