LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 17, 2013

TO:	Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1125 by Lavender (Relating to the rights of an accused person in and the written waiver of extradition proceedings.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the Texas Justice Court Training Center to provide training for justices of the peace on extradition law. A justice of the peace from a county bordering another state who is not an attorney would be required to take this training before assisting with extraditions.

The bill would require that the proceeding be transcribed or videotaped.  The record of the proceeding must be retained in the courts record for at least 270 days.

Local Government Impact

Texas's justice court proceedings are not currently required to be videotaped or recorded and transcribed by a court reporter. A freelance court reporter may need to be hired to record and transcribe the proceeding.  Alternatively, video equipment may need to be purchased to record the proceeding.  The cost of a court reporter or video equipment would vary by county, and some counties may already have a court reporter or video equipment available for use by the justice courts.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council

LBB Staff:

UP, ESi, KKR