LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 14, 2005

TO:	Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB524 by Eltife (Relating to the creation of a county court at law in Cass County.), As Introduced

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would create a statutory county court at law in Cass County. The bill would take effect immediately if it receives the required two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2005. The court would be created on the effective date.

Local Government Impact

Cass County’s fiscal year begins October 1. Since the County Court of Cass County could be created on September 1, 2005 and assuming the Cass County commissioners court would appoint a judge to fill this position beginning September 1, 2005, the fiscal impact for fiscal year 2005 has been prorated for one month.

Currently, Cass County has one district court and four justice of the peace courts, but no statutory county court at law. The county would be responsible for the annual salaries of the court's judge ($95,000), bailiff ($24,000), part-time assistant district attorney ($36,240), and certified court reporter ($40,000), for a total of $195,240, plus annual benefits of $52,290. In addition, the county would pay for annual operational costs of $25,000, which would include travel and training. The county would incur a one-time expenditure of $6,000 in start-up costs.

Cass County currently receives no revenues from statutory county court costs and fees. It is assumed that the creation of a court would result in applicable revenues.

Source Agencies:

304 Comptroller of Public Accounts

LBB Staff:

JOB, DLBa