Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3382 by Hughes (Relating to the compensation of associate judges appointed to hear Title IV-D cases or child protection cases.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3382, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($1,805,396) through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
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
2016
($902,698)
2017
($902,698)
2018
($902,698)
2019
($902,698)
2020
($902,698)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from Federal Funds 555
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Federal Funds 555
2016
($902,698)
$813,747
($813,747)
2017
($902,698)
$813,747
($813,747)
2018
($902,698)
$813,747
($813,747)
2019
($902,698)
$813,747
($813,747)
2020
($902,698)
$813,747
($813,747)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Family Code to set the salary of an associate judge for the child support courts and child protection courts administered by the Office of Court Administration (OCA) at 90 percent of a district judge salary, or $126,000. The bill would require longevity pay received by an associate judge would not affect the calculation of the 90 percent.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2015.
Methodology
Current law allows the presiding judges of the administrative judicial regions to set the salary of the associate judges at any amount not to exceed 90 percent of the salary of a district judge. According to OCA, the agency currently employs 44 child support court associate judges and 14 child protection court associate judges. Salaries for these associate judges range from $91,077 to a maximum of $103,220 per year with a majority earning the maximum based on years of service. The bill would increase all of these position's salaries to $126,000.
OCA funds Child Support Courts through General Revenue funds and matching Title IV-D Federal Funds provided through an interagency contract with the Office of Attorney General. This estimate assumes a corresponding increase in Federal Funds which would also be passed through the interagency contract to match General Revenue increases for child support court associate judge salaries. These increases are reflected in the table above. Costs for Child Protection Courts, which are entirely from General Revenue, are also included in the table above.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council