LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 5, 2003

TO:	Honorable Will Hartnett, Chair, House Committee on Judicial Affairs
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2799 by Thompson (Relating to municipal courts of record.), As Introduced

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would add municipalities that create municipal courts of record pursuant to Section 30.00003, Government Code, to those municipalities to which the Uniform Municipal Courts of Record Act applies.

No effective date is given, but it is assumed the bill would take effect September 1, 2003.

Local Government Impact

If a municipality that does not have a municipal court of record chooses to create one, the municipality would incur the costs for salaries and benefits for a judge, a prosecutor, a court reporter, and other court staff, plus furniture, equipment, space, utilities, and forms. It is anticipated, however, that a municipality would not create a court of record unless the need justified the expenditure and the municipality's budget could bare the costs.

Source Agencies:	212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council
LBB Staff:	JK, GO, DLBa