Honorable Tryon D. Lewis, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1245 by Turner, Sylvester (Relating to the allocation of money in the judicial and court personnel training fund.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1245, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2015.
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
2014
$0
2015
$0
2016
$0
2017
$0
2018
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Jud & Court Training Fd 540
2014
($115,200)
2015
($115,200)
2016
($115,200)
2017
($115,200)
2018
($115,200)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code to provide that the Court of Criminal Appeals expand continuing legal education and other support programs for criminal defense attorneys who represent indigent defendants to include personnel working for criminal defense attorneys representing the indigent. Currently, the Court of Criminal Appeals is appropriated an amount not to exceed $1,105,000 per year from the General Revenue-Dedicated Judicial and Court Personnel Training Account No. 540 to provide continuing legal education for criminal defense attorneys who regularly represent indigent defendants in criminal matters. The bill would take effect September 1, 2013.
Methodology
Based on information provided by the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Office of Court Administration, this estimate assumes that based on the number of criminal defense lawyers representing indigent defendants trained each year, approximately 300 criminal defense attorney personnel per year would be eligible to receive training under provisions of the bill. This estimate assumes each training participant would receive 12 hours of training at an average cost of $32 per hour.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council