LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 86TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 6, 2019

TO:
Honorable Joan Huffman, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
 
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director     Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director
Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB2342 by Creighton (relating to the jurisdiction of, and practices and procedures in civil cases before, justice courts, county courts, statutory county courts, and district courts.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Government Code to require the Supreme Court to amend the expedited actions rules to include civil actions that do not exceed $250,000 and to remove the requirement that the amount include all damage claims, penalties, attorney's fees, expenses, costs, interest, and other damages. The bill would require a 12-member jury in civil cases exceeding $250,000 in controversy and family law cases that are tried before statutory county courts with that jurisdiction.
 
Based on the analysis of the Office of Court Administration, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished using existing resources.
 
The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.

Local Government Impact

According to the Office of Court Administration, increasing the number of cases that require a 12-member jury may increase juror compensation costs, but it is not anticipated that a significant number of new cases would be tried before larger juries. No significant fiscal impact to local courts is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council
LBB Staff:
WP, CMa, SLE, DA