Honorable Tryon D. Lewis, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3861 by Lucio III (Relating to the creation of a statutory probate court in Cameron County.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3861, 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 Judicial Fund 573
Probable Revenue Gain from Judicial Fund 573
2014
$0
$0
2015
($26,667)
$26,667
2016
($40,000)
$40,000
2017
($40,000)
$40,000
2018
($40,000)
$40,000
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code to create a new statutory probate court in Cameron County. The court would be created January 1, 2015. The bill would take effect September 1, 2013.
Methodology
For a county statutory probate courts, the annual recurring cost to the state would be $40,000 from Judicial Fund No. 573. Local governments pay the other operating costs associated with a statutory probate court. The salary supplement program for statutory probate court judges is funded from fees and court costs collected by county courts statewide and deposited into Judicial Fund No. 573. This estimate assumes that the Statutory Probate Court No. 1 of Cameron County would generate sufficient revenue to Judicial Fund No. 573 to cover costs of the salary supplement. This estimate prorates the fiscal year 2015 cost for the probate court due to the court creation date of January 1, 2015.
Local Government Impact
The Comptroller of Public Accounts reported that Cameron County anticipates start-up construction costs of approximately $1.5 million in fiscal year 2014 and a one-time technology cost of $150,000 in fiscal year 2014.
Cameron County would incur personnel costs of $581,746 per year for fiscal years 2016 to 2018. Personnel costs would be pro-rated for nine months in fiscal 2015.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts