LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 29, 2003

TO:	Honorable Tom Craddick, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2931 by Lewis (Relating to the administration and finances of counties and certain other entities. ), As Passed 2nd House

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would address several issues regarding administration of county government, including  allowing court and district or county attorney records to be kept in paper or electronic format; authorizing a county to establish a reserve or contingency item in its budget; and authorizing a county to acquire, apply for, register, secure, hold, protect, and renew a patent, a copyright, a trademark, or other evidence of protection or exlusivity issued for intellectual property. Additionally, the bill would authorize parties to an interlocal agreement to create an administrative agency.

Portions of the Local Government Code that would conflict with proposed changes in statute would be repealed. Additionally, sections related to employment contracts and personnel and payroll records in a county with a population of 500,000 or more would be repealed.

The bill would authorize a local government to make appointments to a local government body in accordance with applicable law and with the intent that appointments would be representative of the consituency served by the governing body. If the local government were to choose to make representative appointments, the local government would be required to adopt procedures for doing so.

Additionally, provisions of the bill authorize a commissioners court to impose an application fee to cover the cost of the county's review of a subdivision plat and inspection of street, road, and drainage improvements described by the plat.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2003.

A sampling of county auditors and county clerks were contacted regarding the fiscal implications of the bill. Collin, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant counties estimate no significant fiscal impact from provisions of the bill. Most respondents indicated that the option of using paper or electronic formats for records would provide a minimal savings and that most other provisions of the bill would have an insignificant fiscal impact as well.

Local Government Impact

The fiscal impact would vary depending on which of the proposals a county would choose to implement and the county's overall budget. Most of the proposals are estimated to have minimal fiscal impact.

Source Agencies:

LBB Staff:

JK, EB, JB, DLBa