LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 23, 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.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1552, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: 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.



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 ($13,750)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1
2004 ($5,000)
2005 ($8,333)
2006 ($10,000)
2007 ($10,000)
2008 ($13,750)

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 amend the Government Code, Chapter 25 to create an additional county court at law in Henderson County. Under the bill, the County Court at Law No. 2 in Henderson County would be created December 1, 2007 or on an earlier date determined by the commissioner's court.

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, Comal, and Henderson 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, once those courts are established.  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. This estimate assumes the Henderson County Court at Law is established on December 1, 2007 and the salary supplement has been prorated for 9 months in fiscal year 2008.


Local Government Impact

The auditors in Collin, Comal, Henderson, 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  $                  -    $       455,241  $       586,694  $       586,694  $       586,694
Comal  $       337,727  $       286,920  $       295,522  $       304,555  $       314,039
Henderson  $       104,740  $       174,875  $       248,375  $       264,447  $       282,151
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