LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 16, 2003

TO:
Honorable Robert Duncan, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
 
FROM:
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB889 by Lindsay (Relating to service credit in the judicial retirement system for visiting state district judges.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB889, As Introduced: a positive impact of $92,880 through the biennium ending August 31, 2005.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2004 $0
2005 $92,880
2006 $103,930
2007 $103,930
2008 $110,700




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1
2004 $0
2005 $92,880
2006 $103,930
2007 $103,930
2008 $110,700

Fiscal Analysis

This bill would require a visiting or assigned state district judge to contribute the same amount as a full-time presiding district judge to receive service credit for the month of the contribution.  This bill, if adopted, would result in a decrease in state contributions for the Judicial Retirement System, Plan Two (JRS II) and reduce state spending on the Judicial Retirement System, Plan One (JRS I), which is a pay-as-you-go retirement plan. 

Methodology

According to the ERS, all visiting or assigned judges will make the necessary contributions to receive the service credit for each month that they serve.  As a result, this bill is expected to increase future member contributions, and cause an offsetting reduction in state contributions.  The biennial savings are estimated to be $92,880, as indicated in the Fiscal Impact table.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 327 Employees Retirement System
LBB Staff:
JK, GO, MS, ZS, TB