Honorable Joan Huffman, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1970 by Huffman (Relating to increasing the electronic filing fee for certain courts of law.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1970, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2016
$0
2017
$0
2018
$0
2019
$0
2020
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from Statewide Electronic Filing System 5157
2016
$5,299,818
2017
$5,299,818
2018
$5,299,818
2019
$5,299,818
2020
$5,299,818
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code to increase the statewide electronic filing system fund fee from $20 to $30. This civil filing fee is assessed at county-level, district, and appellate courts on the filing of any civil action or proceeding requiring a filing fee.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2015.
Methodology
Based on the information provided by the OCA, this estimate assumes civil case filings will remain at approximately fiscal year 2014 levels for the 2016-17 biennium. For the filing fees for civil cases, utilizing historical revenue collections from fiscal year 2014, OCA estimates that every $1 of this type of civil filing fee annually raises $345,363 in revenue at the district court level and $180,374 at the county court level.
Based on these per dollar revenue increases, OCA estimates that a $10 increase in statewide electronic filing system fund fee would result in an increase of $3,453,630 in district courts, $1,803,740 in county level courts, and $42,448 in the intermediate appellate courts and Supreme Court, for a total estimated annual revenue increase of $5,299,818 to the state each fiscal year.
Based on information provided by OCA, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished utilizing existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts