Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB928 by Nichols (Relating to the creation of an additional county court at law in Montgomery County.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB928, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2009.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2008
$0
2009
$0
2010
$0
2011
$0
2012
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Montgomery County
2008
($762,400)
2009
($762,400)
2010
($762,400)
2011
($762,400)
2012
($762,400)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend Chapter 25 of the Government Code to create a statutory county court at law in Montgomery County as of September 1, 2007. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2007.
Methodology
Montgomery County is currently served by four statutory county courts. According to the Montgomery County Auditor, the average annual operating expenses for a county court are estimated at $762,400, which includes salaries, benefits, supplies and capital costs.
Montgomery County's fiscal year begins October 1. For fiscal 2008, it is assumed that the proposed Montgomery County Court at Law No. 5 would be in start-up mode and would generate about the same amount of revenue that each of the other four county courts at law generate for Montgomery County; hence, there would be no additional revenue to offset the cost of the additional county court at law. In the future, however, it is assumed that improved caseload management brought about by the creation of the new county court at law could result in higher revenues; the amount of increased revenues cannot be estimated.
Because the Montgomery County Court at Law No. 5 would be created on September 1, 2007, Montgomery County Commissioners Court would appoint a judge to fill this position beginning September 1, 2007.
Local Government Impact
The cost to Montgomery County for operating a fifth statutory county court at law is reflected in the table above.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts