This website will be unavailable from Friday, April 26, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 29, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. due to data center maintenance.
LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
March 8, 2021
TO:
Honorable Jeff Leach, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB976 by Price (Relating to the appointment of a judge or magistrate to preside over a regional specialty court program and the authority of that judge or magistrate in cases referred to the program.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code to allow that certain judges or magistrates of a district court or statutory county court may be appointed to preside over a regional specialty court program if the local administrative district and statutory county court judges of each participating county approve the appointment by majority vote and if the presiding judges of each administrative judicial region sign an order granting the appointment.
The bill would allow that a judge or magistrate appointed to the court would be able to hear any misdemeanor or felony case transferred to the program by an originating trial court participating in the program. The judge's or magistrate's authority will be limited to that granted by the bill. A visiting judge assigned to a regional specialty court program would have the same authority as the judge or magistrate appointed.
Based on information provided by the Office of Court Administration, no significant fiscal impact to the state court system is anticipated as a result from implementing the provisions of the bill.
Local Government Impact
The Texas Association of Counties does not anticipate a significant fiscal impact to counties.