LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 6, 2009

TO:
Honorable Todd Hunter, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB3723 by Woolley (Relating to the creation of an additional judicial district composed of Harris County and the preference given by the district court to domestic violence cases.), As Introduced



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3723, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($195,793) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

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
2010 ($93,640)
2011 ($102,153)
2012 ($102,153)
2013 ($102,153)
2014 ($102,153)




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1 		Probable Savings/(Cost) from
Judicial Fund
573 		Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010 ($93,640) ($51,651) 1.0
2011 ($102,153) ($56,347) 1.0
2012 ($102,153) ($56,347) 1.0
2013 ($102,153) ($56,347) 1.0
2014 ($102,153) ($56,347) 1.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Chapter 24, Government Code, to create a new judicial district in Harris County, the 476th Judicial District. The court would be created September 1, 2009, and would give preference to domestic violence cases.

The bill would take effect September 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 the the Judicial Retirment System) which are estimated to be $33,500 annually. The total annual salary and benefits cost for a district judge is estimated to be $158,500.

Because the court would be created September 1, 2009, the estimate prorates the applicable judge's salary and benefits at 11 out of 12 months the first year the court would be created.


Local Government Impact

The bill would create the 476th Judicial District composed of Harris County, and would allow the district court to give preference to domestic violence cases.
 
Harris County’s fiscal year begins March 1. The Harris County budget office reported the estimated cost for fiscal year 2010 is $1,954,085 which would include costs for start-up, operational, technology, furnishings, equipment and staffing. The costs for operations and staffing for fiscal year 2011 would be $3,848,169; for fiscal years 2012 to 2013 the cost would be $3,904,267; and for fiscal year 2014 the cost would be $3,962,048.
 
Harris County indicated that they could not estimate the amount of revenue that would be collected since they have not collected for domestic violence cases in a judicial district court. Because the new 476th Judicial District would be in start-up mode, no additional revenue is projected for fiscal year 2010; however, it is assumed that the increased caseload by the creation of a new judicial district could result in higher revenues that could offset a portion of the costs.


Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:
JOB, MN, JP, TP