LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 25, 2005

TO:
Honorable Will Hartnett, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB2700 by Crownover (Relating to the appointment of certain judicial offices and a nonpartisan election for the retention or rejection of a person appointed to those offices.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2700, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($1,056,500) through the biennium ending August 31, 2007.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2006 ($1,056,500)
2007 $0
2008 ($730,000)
2009 $0
2010 ($1,056,500)




Fiscal Year Probable Revenue (Loss) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1
2006 ($1,056,500)
2007
2008 ($730,000)
2009
2010 ($1,056,500)

Fiscal Analysis

This bill would require Supreme Court, court of criminal appeals, court of appeals, and district judges
to stand for retention or rejection elections rather than running in a partisan election.

Methodology

This bill would eliminate filing fees associated with Supreme Court, court of criminal appeals, court of appeals, and district judge races. The fiscal impact to the state is determined by calculating the
number of positions that candidates will no longer be filing for as follows:

Year 2006

6 statewide positions x 3 candidates x $3,750 = $67,500

23 appellate judge positions (population of 850,000 and under) x 2 x $1,875 = $86,250

24 appellate judge positions (population over 850,000) x 2 x $2,500 = $120,000

139 district judge positions (population of 850,000 and under) x 1.5 x $1,500 = $312,750

94 district judge positions (population over 850,000) x 2 x $2,500 = $470,000                                

Year 2008 

6 statewide positions x 3 candidates x $3,750 = $67,500

9 appellate judge positions (population of 850,000 and under) x 2 x $1,875 = $33,750

8 appellate judge positions (population over 850,000) x 2 x $2,500 = $40,000

124 district judge positions (population of 850,00 and under) x 1.5 x $1,875 = $348,750

48 district judge positions (population over 850,000) x 2 x $2,500 = $240,000

Year 2010

6 statewide positions x 3 candidates x $3,750 = $67,500

23 appellate judge positions (population of 850,000 and under) x 2 x $1,875 = $86,250

24 appellate judge positions (population over 850,000) x 2 x $2,500 = $120,000

139 district judge positions (population of 850,000 and under) x 1.5 x $1,500 = $312,750

94 district judge positions (population over 850,000) x 2 x $2,500 = $470,000                                                                                              


Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.  There will be minimal savings associated with printing costs, however, counties will need to reprogram their computers and retrain their election workers in order to implement this new system.


Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 307 Secretary of State
LBB Staff:
JOB, LB, MS, NR, KJG