| TO: | Honorable Will Hartnett, Chair, House Committee on Judicial Affairs |
| FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB3553 by Brown, Betty (Relating to the creation of an additional county court at law in Henderson County.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Government Code to create an additional county court at law, the Henderson County Court at Law No. 2, in Henderson County. The bill would take effect September 1, 2003. The County Court at Law No. 2 of Henderson County would be created December 1, 2007 or on an earlier date determined by the commissioner's court.
Since Henderson County has passed a resolution to collect court costs and fees under Government Code, Section 51.702, the state would incur an annual cost of $5,000 in the form of a salary supplement for the judge of the new county court at law, once the court is created. However, this annual cost is not a significant fiscal implication.
The Henderson County Auditor provided an estimate of local costs, which would include purchase of equipment, furniture and a new vehicle, and salaries and benefits for a county clerk and transport deputies in fiscal year 2004. In fiscal year 2005, the county would hire a county attorney clerk. An attorney would be hired in fiscal year 2006.
The total cost to Henderson County for FY 2004 is estimated at $104,740. In FY 2005, the cost is estimated at $174,875. In FY 2006, the cost is estimated at $248,375. In FY 2007, the cost is estimated at $264,447. In FY 2008, the cost is estimated at $282,151.
This local estimate assumes that the new court would be created on September 1, 2003, rather than a later date up to and including December 1, 2007.
| Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
|
| LBB Staff: | JK, KG, GO, VDS, TB
|