LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 3, 2007

TO:
Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB818 by Paxton (Relating to the creation of an additional judicial district in Collin County.), As Engrossed



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB818, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($67,982) through the biennium ending August 31, 2009.

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
2008 $0
2009 ($67,982)
2010 ($101,973)
2011 ($101,973)
2012 ($101,973)




Fiscal Year Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1 		Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from
JUDICIAL FUND
573 		Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2007
2008 $0 $0 0.0
2009 ($67,982) ($37,500) 1.0
2010 ($101,973) ($56,250) 1.0
2011 ($101,973) ($56,250) 1.0
2012 ($101,973) ($56,250) 1.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Chapter 24, Government Code, to create a new judicial district in Collin County, the 429th Judicial District. The district would be created January 1, 2009 and the bill would take effect January 1, 2009.

Methodology

The annual salary provided by the state for a district judge is $125,000, in addition to benefits (state contributions for group insurance and to the Judicial Retirement System) which are estimated to be $33,223 annually. The total annual salary and benefits cost for a district judge is estimated to be $158,223. Because the court would be created on January 1, 2009, the fiscal impact for the first year of court operations is prorated to reflect 8 rather than a full 12 months of operations. The county would pay all other costs.


Local Government Impact

According to the Collin County Auditor, the annual cost for the new judicial district would total $654,418, and would include: $607,055 for salaries and benefits for court staff and $47,363 for operating and maintenance costs.  One-time start-up costs for capital expenses would total $122,222.

Collin County's fiscal year begins October 1.  For fiscal 2009, it is assumed that the proposed 429th Judicial District would be in start-up mode and would generate no additional revenue to offset the cost of the additional judicial district.  In the future, it is assumed that improved caseload management brought about by the creation of the new judicial district could result in higher revenues; however, the amount of the increased revenues cannot be estimated.



Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:
JOB, MN, ZS, JP