LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 21, 2013

TO:	Honorable Tryon D. Lewis, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB389 by West (Relating to the imposition of court costs in certain criminal proceedings.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Government Code, Chapter 51 to require that the court cost assessed to a person convicted of a crime be based on the amount in effect at the time of conviction. The Office of Court Administration (OCA) does not anticipate any costs associated with the bill. The agency also does not anticipate a significant impact to state revenue. The Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) does not anticipate a revenue gain to the state as a result of the bill.

Local Government Impact

OCA reported that the bill would ultimately make things simpler for clerks and courts which would likely result in less time spent calculating court costs and may consequently lead to lower costs for counties.

CPA reported that Dallas, Potter, and Swisher Counties would incur no significant expenditures, and no major changes in their computer systems would be required.

Changes in revenue would vary depending on the number of convictions and the amount of the court costs that might apply, but fiscal impact to units of local government is not anticipated to be significant.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts

LBB Staff:

UP, JJO, CL, ZS, KKR