LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 16, 2009

TO:	Honorable Todd Hunter, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1860 by Eiland (Relating to an additional filing fee for civil cases filed in certain courts.), As Introduced

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Government Code to create an additional filing fee of not more than $10 for each civil case filed in a county court, statutory county court, or district court. Such fees would be collected in the same manner as other court fees, fines or costs, and sent monthly to the county treasurer, or other official assigned the duties of the county treasurer, for deposit into a court record preservation account. This account would be administered by the county commissioners court and used only to digitize court records to preserve them from natural disasters.

Local Government Impact

Counties would experience a revenue gain that would vary by county depending on number of cases filed. It is anticipated that the gain would be fully expended to digitize court records as required by provisions of the bill. Various counties provided estimates of anticipated revenue (only first year of implementation shown):

n     Bexar County – $465,000

n     Dallas County – $750,000

n     Harris County – $970,000

n     Tarrant County – $430,000

n     Travis County – $40,000

n     Washington County – $3,500

n     Williamson County – $23,780

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts

LBB Staff:

JOB, MN, DB