LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 11, 2005

TO:
Honorable Will Hartnett, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB1410 by Campbell (Relating to annual state salary supplements for county judges.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1410, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($2,070,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2007.

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
2006 ($1,035,000)
2007 ($1,035,000)
2008 ($1,035,000)
2009 ($1,035,000)
2010 ($1,035,000)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1
2006 ($1,035,000)
2007 ($1,035,000)
2008 ($1,035,000)
2009 ($1,035,000)
2010 ($1,035,000)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Chapter 26 of the Government Code to increase the annual salary supplement for a constitutional county judge to $15,000 from $10,000.  The bill would take effect September 1, 2005.


Methodology

Under Section 26.002(b) of the Government Code, a constitutional county judge must file an affidavit with the Office of Court Administration (OCA) stating that at least 40 percent of the functions that the judge performs are judicial functions. OCA forwards the affidavit to the Judiciary Section, Comptroller’s Department.

The Judiciary Section indicates currently 207 constitutional county judges are eligible for the $10,000 annual salary supplement, yielding a total annual cost of $2,070,000 for the salary supplement. Under the bill, the annual cost would increase by $1,035,000. This estimate assumes 207 constitutional county judges would be eligible for the supplement in fiscal year 2006 and each year thereafter.


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
LBB Staff:
JOB, LB, ZS, TB