Honorable Will Hartnett, Chair, House Committee on Judicial Affairs
FROM:
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1944 by Hartnett (Relating to the compensation of a statutory probate court judge while assigned as a visiting judge.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Government Code, Chapter 22 to provide that the state pay the compensation of an active, former, or retired statutory probate judge assigned as a visiting judge over a probate matter in a county court. The Comptroller reports that currently the state pays the compensation of former or retired district judges serving as visiting judges in probate matters. The Comptroller reports that to the extent the state may incur additional costs if statutory probate judges rather than former or retired district judges are assigned as visiting judges in probate matters, the fiscal implication is not anticipated to be significant.
Local Government Impact
A county would realize some savings if any probate matters were to be resolved by a statutory probate judge as opposed to a district judge. However, Denton, Grayson, and Lubbock counties all reported that the savings would be minimal.
Source Agencies:
212 Office Of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller Of Public Accounts