LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 11, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Royce West, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Jurisprudence
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB1369  by Van de Putte (Relating to pro bono community
               service programs to provide legal services to the public
               and to participation in those programs for continuing
               legal education credit.), As Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  SB1369, As Introduced:  negative impact of $(245,000) 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                *
          *       2002                           $(131,800)  *
          *       2003                            (113,200)  *
          *       2004                            (113,200)  *
          *       2005                            (113,200)  *
          *       2006                            (113,200)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
***************************************************************************
*Fiscal    Probable Savings/(Cost) from     Change in Number of State     *
* Year         General Revenue Fund           Employees from FY 2001      *
*                      0001                                               *
*  2002                        $(131,800)                             3.0 *
*  2003                         (113,200)                             3.0 *
*  2004                         (113,200)                             3.0 *
*  2005                         (113,200)                             3.0 *
*  2006                         (113,200)                             3.0 *
***************************************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would authorize the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to
develop a pro bono community service program to provide legal services
to the public.  Attorneys participating in the pro bono program would be
eligible to receive credit toward continuing legal education
requirements.
  
  
Methodology
  
The OAG estimates that the cost to develop and implement the program
would be $131,800 in the first year, with an ongoing cost of $113,200 in
future years for 3 full-time-equivalent employees to administer the
program.  The OAG estimates that the agency would need one attorney, one
legal assistant, and one legal secretary to administer the program.
This estimate is based on information from another local volunteer legal
services program in Austin which provides pro bono services to Travis
and surrounding counties.  That program employs 6 people to administer
the pro bono program.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   302   Office of the Attorney General
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, SC