LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 15, 2013

TO:	Honorable Royce West, Chair, Senate Committee On Jurisprudence
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB915 by West (Relating to the automatic sealing in certain cases of juvenile records of adjudications of delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Family Code to allow the automatic sealing of certain juvenile court records. The Office of Court Administration does not anticipate any significant fiscal impact to the court system resulting from the bill. The Juvenile Justice Department does not anticipate that the bill will result in a significant fiscal impact to the agency. The Department of Public Safety reports that the number of sealing orders is expected to increase as a result of the bill, but will be absorbed with existing resources.

The bill would take effect immediately if receiving a vote of two-thirds of each house, otherwise the bill would take effect September 1, 2013.  

Local Government Impact

There could be a slight reduction in court workload due to a decrease in the number of juvenile court hearings required to be held dealing with record sealing orders; however, no significant fiscal impact to the courts is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 405 Department of Public Safety, 644 Texas Juvenile Justice Department

LBB Staff:

UP, CL, AM, KKR