LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 12, 2013

TO:	Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1639 by Carona (Relating to the application of foreign laws and foreign forum selection in certain family law proceedings.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Family Code to prohibit certain application of foreign laws or decisions based on foreign law to certain family law cases or suits affecting the parent-child relationship. The bill also amends the Business and Commerce Code to specify that the changes in law would be inapplicable to certain commercial transactions.

The Office of Court Administration does not anticipate any significant fiscal impact to the court system resulting from the bill. The Office of the Attorney General reports that the agency's Child Support Division would revise policies, procedures, and training materials to include the changes in law, but anticipates that any additional workload could be absorbed within existing resources.

Local Government Impact

The Office of Court Administration reports that the bill may result in an additional workload for certain local governmental staff, such as district clerks, that provide assistance to courts. However, any additional workload is not expected to result in a significant fiscal impact.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 302 Office of the Attorney General

LBB Staff:

UP, AM, RB