LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 9, 2015

TO:	Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HJR62 by Canales (Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the recording of certain proceedings of the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals and the publication of the recordings.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HJR62, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($464,681) through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2016	($416,681)
2017	($48,000)
2018	$0
2019	$0
2020	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2016	($416,681)
2017	($48,000)
2018	$0
2019	$0
2020	$0

Fiscal Analysis

The resolution would propose an amendment to Article V of the Texas Constitution to add a new section 1-b requiring the recording of certain proceedings of the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals and the publication of the recordings through a temporary provision that would have an effective date of January 1, 2016 and an expiration date of January 1, 2017.

The proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution in this resolution would be submitted to voters at an election to be held on November 3, 2015.

Methodology

The Supreme Court of Texas already provides video recordings of its proceedings that are made available on it's website, therefore no fiscal impact is anticipated for that court.

The Office of Court Administration estimates that the resolution would require one-time equipment costs of approximately $250,000 to purchase and install necessary hardware in fiscal year 2016 with ongoing maintenance and operations costs of $48,000 each fiscal year for the length of the temporary provision (fiscal years 2016 and 2017). This includes $23,000 in software licensing costs and $25,000 for professional services each year. The table above reflects costs for the effective years of the resolution, however this analysis also assumes that services would cost $48,000 each subsequent year if continued beyond the effective period.

The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $118,681 in fiscal year 2016.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council

LBB Staff:

UP, FR, MW, GDz