LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 14, 2009

TO:	Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1062 by Shapiro (Relating to creating an online resource center for judges and attorneys handling child abuse and neglect cases.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1062, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($500,000) 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010	($250,000)
2011	($250,000)
2012	($250,000)
2013	($250,000)
2014	($250,000)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2010	($250,000)
2011	($250,000)
2012	($250,000)
2013	($250,000)
2014	($250,000)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Family Code relating to creating an online resource center for judges and attorneys handling child abuse and neglect cases.  The bill would require the Office of Court Administration to contract with an eligible nonprofit organization, as defined, to provide an online resource center for judges and attorneys handling child abuse and neglect cases.  The bill would require the online resource center to include an e-mail network, a discussion board, a document sharing system and other information materials as defined for judges and attorneys.
                 
The bill would provide that the nonprofit organization with which the office contracts under this subchapter may obtain funding from private foundations and individuals, from state and federal grants, and from any other source to operate the online resource center.  The bill would take effect September 1, 2009. 

Methodology

According to the Office of Court Administration (OCA), an online resource center with components as defined by the bill would cost $250,000 to $375,000 annually to startup and maintain.  This analysis assumes costs to OCA for the new online resource center would be $250,000 each fiscal year, and any additional costs up to $125,000 would be funded by the nonprofit organization from donations from private foundations and individuals, federal grants, or other sources. 

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council

LBB Staff:

JOB, MN, ZS, TB