Honorable Garnet Coleman, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HJR103 by Simpson (Proposing a constitutional amendment to abolish the requirement that certain counties continue to be divided into not fewer than four precincts used to elect justices of the peace and constables.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated, other than the cost of publication.
The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $108,921.
The bill would amend Section 18 (a), Article V of the Texas Constitution to abolish the requirement that certain counties continue to be divided into not fewer than four precincts used to elect justices of the peace and constables.
The Office of Court Administration (OCA) indicates no significant fiscal impact to the state judiciary is anticipated. The Secretary of State indicates no significant fiscal impact is anticipated.
Local Government Impact
There would be a fiscal impact to applicable counties that changed the current number of precincts used to elect justices of the peace (JP) and constables; however, the amounts would vary by county.
The OCA indicated that within the parameters set forth in the proposed constitutional amendment, the number of precincts used to elect justices of the peace (JP) and constables could be reduced below four, as decided by individual county commissioners courts. A commissioners court that chose to reduce the number of JP and constable precincts in its county, would result in a reduction in costs for the salary and operating costs of eliminated JP and constables' precincts; the number of counties that might choose to take this action is unknown. The caseload and workload of any abolished JP and constables' precincts would presumably be absorbed by the other JP and constables' precincts in the county. Therefore, no significant fiscal impact is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 307 Secretary of State