LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 9, 2003

TO:	Honorable Robert Duncan, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1552 by Duncan (Relating to the creation and composition of county courts at law.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1552, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($13,333) 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2004	($5,000)
2005	($8,333)
2006	($10,000)
2007	($10,000)
2008	($10,000)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1
2004	($5,000)
2005	($8,333)
2006	($10,000)
2007	($10,000)
2008	($10,000)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Government Code, Chapter 25 to create an additional county court at law in Collin County. Under the bill, the County Court at Law No. 6 of Collin County would be created on January 1, 2005.

The bill would also amend Government Code, Chapter 25 to create an additional county court at law in Comal County, the County Court at Law No. 2.   The bill would also create a county court at law in Rockwall County and would establish certain provisions for the newly created court. Under the bill, these two courts would be created on September 1, 2003. The bill would take effect September 1, 2003.

Methodology

Since Collin and Comal counties have 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 judges of the new county courts at law. Since the County Court at Law No. 6 of Collin County would be created on January 1, 2005, the impact for fiscal year 2005 has been prorated for eight months instead of 12.

Local Government Impact

The auditors in Collin, Comal, and Rockwall counties provided estimates of local costs, which would include salaries and benefits for ancillary court personnel and other operating expenses. Costs to the affected counties are as follows:

	FY 2004	FY 2005	FY 2006	FY 2007	FY 2008
Collin	$0	($455,241)	($586,694)	($586,694)	($586,694)
Comal	($337,727)	($286,920)	($295,522)	($304,555)	($314,039)
Rockwall	($425,000)	($425,000)	($425,000)	($425,000)	($425,000)

Source Agencies:	212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:	JK, GO, VDS, TB, KG