| TO: | Honorable Will Hartnett, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB564 by Gattis (Relating to the creation of an additional county court at law in Williamson County.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend Section 25.2481, Government Code to create an additional county court at law in Williamson County. The bill would create the County Court at Law No. 4 of Williamson County on January 1, 2006. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2005.
The Comptroller of Public Accounts contacted officials in Williamson County. Currently, Williamson County has three statutory county courts at law and the bill would add a fourth court on January 1, 2006. The county would be responsible for all expenses beginning in fiscal year 2006. According to the County Judge, the county would pay a $75,000 in start-up costs for office space, furniture, office equipment, and other like expenditures. The average operating cost of the three current county courts is $393,898 annually.
The average revenue collected by each county court is $303,526 annually. It is assumed that improved caseload management brought about by the creation of a new county court could result in higher revenues; however, the amount of increased revenues cannot be estimated.
The county's fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30. The fiscal year 2006 estimate is lower than the other fiscal years because it was prorated for only three months, plus the start-up cost.
| Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, DLBa
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