Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1234 by Martinez, "Mando" (Relating to filing fees imposed in civil cases in Hidalgo County, Cameron County, and Willacy County.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code to authorize use of an existing court filing fee funding the construction, revocation, or improvement of county civil courts to include payment of principal, interest, and costs of bonds for these improvements for Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties. The bill also extends existing timelines for the continuation of this fee.
According to the Office of Court Administration, the bill would not have a significant fiscal impact to the state court system because no part of the proposed fee would be directed to the State.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
According to the Office of Court Administration, no immediate fiscal impact to the local courts of Hidalgo County and Cameron County is anticipated, as both counties have already exercised the statutory authority to impose the $20 filing fee and the amount of the fee would not be changed by the bill. The agency anticipates a positive fiscal impact of $14,820 per year on Willacy County were the county to adopt a resolution authorized by this bill and to set the filing fee at the maximum allowed by statute.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council