TO: | Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence |
FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | SB2563 by Deuell (Relating to the creation of an additional county court at law in Kaufman County.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
Fiscal Year | Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds |
---|---|
2010 | $0 |
2011 | $0 |
2012 | $0 |
2013 | $0 |
2014 | $0 |
Fiscal Year | Probable Savings/(Cost) from Judicial Fund 573 |
Probable Revenue Gain from Judicial Fund 573 |
---|---|---|
2010 | $0 | $0 |
2011 | ($50,003) | $50,003 |
2012 | ($75,000) | $75,000 |
2013 | ($75,000) | $75,000 |
2014 | ($75,000) | $75,000 |
The bill would amend the Government Code to create a new County Court at Law in Kaufman
The annual recurring cost to the state per county court at law would be $75,000 from Judicial Fund No. 573. Under current law, the state provides a county-court-at-law judge a salary supplement an amount equal to 60 percent of the state salary of a district judge ($75,000). This estimate assumes the cost of the salary supplement at 8 out of 12 months for fiscal year 2011 since the County Court at Law in Kaufman County would not be created until January 1, 2011.
Also, the salary supplement program for county court at law judges is funded from fees and court costs collected by county courts at law statewide and deposited into the Judicial Fund No. 573. This estimate assumes that the County Court at Law in Kaufman
Local governments pay the other operating costs associated with a county court at law.
The Kaufman County Auditor was contacted to estimate the impact on county revenues and expenses.
Full year costs for court personnel are estimated at $274,800 (judge's salary of $131,500, court reporter's salary of $60,000, court coordinator's salary of $42,000, payroll taxes of $18,000, retirement contribution of $16,500 and $6,800 for dues, travel and training). There would also be $6,800 in operating expenses for a total annual cost of $281,600. The estimated annual costs for fiscal years 2012-2014 would increase by $29,300 (additional costs of an assistant court coordinator-- salary of $27,000, payroll taxes of $2,000 and benefits of $1,900, less $1,600 in reduced maintenance and operations costs), for a total annual cost of $310,900. The
Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
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LBB Staff: | JOB, JP, MN, TP
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