LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION March 30, 2009 TO: Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:SB1208 by Seliger (Relating to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the Seventh Court of Appeals District.), As Introduced No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. The bill would amend Government Code, Chapter 22, to create an appellate judicial system for the Seventh Court of Appeals. The bill would require counties of the Seventh Court of Appeals district to collect and forward filing fees to a fund for the assistance of the court. According to the Office of Court Administration, 25,827 civil cases were filed in the appellate district in fiscal year 2008 in the county court, county courts at law, probate courts, and district courts in the district. Assuming 25,827 civil case filings per fiscal year at $5 per filing, the counties within the district would contribute an estimated $129,135 per fiscal year into the appellate justice system. The bill would require the commissioners courts to vest management of the system in the chief justice of the Seventh Court of Appeals. To the extent that the Seventh Court of Appeals uses local collections to defray expenses previously paid with state appropriations, the fiscal implication to the State is not anticipated to be significant. The bill would take effect September 1, 2009. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal impact to local governments is anticipated. The 46 counties in the Seventh Court of Appeals District would incur slight costs to establish a separate appellate judicial system fund, but these costs are expected to be minimal. To the extent local government would incur a savings from having a new source of revenue to pay the approximately $30,000 per year of the supplemental salaries and benefits to justices of the court, the fiscal implication to units of local government is not anticipated to be significant. Source Agencies:212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JOB, MN, JP, TP, TB LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION March 30, 2009 TO: Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE:SB1208 by Seliger (Relating to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the Seventh Court of Appeals District.), As Introduced TO: Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence FROM: John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB1208 by Seliger (Relating to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the Seventh Court of Appeals District.), As Introduced Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board SB1208 by Seliger (Relating to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the Seventh Court of Appeals District.), As Introduced SB1208 by Seliger (Relating to the creation of an appellate judicial system for the Seventh Court of Appeals District.), As Introduced No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. The bill would amend Government Code, Chapter 22, to create an appellate judicial system for the Seventh Court of Appeals. The bill would require counties of the Seventh Court of Appeals district to collect and forward filing fees to a fund for the assistance of the court. According to the Office of Court Administration, 25,827 civil cases were filed in the appellate district in fiscal year 2008 in the county court, county courts at law, probate courts, and district courts in the district. Assuming 25,827 civil case filings per fiscal year at $5 per filing, the counties within the district would contribute an estimated $129,135 per fiscal year into the appellate justice system. The bill would require the commissioners courts to vest management of the system in the chief justice of the Seventh Court of Appeals. To the extent that the Seventh Court of Appeals uses local collections to defray expenses previously paid with state appropriations, the fiscal implication to the State is not anticipated to be significant. The bill would take effect September 1, 2009. The bill would amend Government Code, Chapter 22, to create an appellate judicial system for the Seventh Court of Appeals. The bill would require counties of the Seventh Court of Appeals district to collect and forward filing fees to a fund for the assistance of the court. According to the Office of Court Administration, 25,827 civil cases were filed in the appellate district in fiscal year 2008 in the county court, county courts at law, probate courts, and district courts in the district. Assuming 25,827 civil case filings per fiscal year at $5 per filing, the counties within the district would contribute an estimated $129,135 per fiscal year into the appellate justice system. The bill would require the commissioners courts to vest management of the system in the chief justice of the Seventh Court of Appeals. To the extent that the Seventh Court of Appeals uses local collections to defray expenses previously paid with state appropriations, the fiscal implication to the State is not anticipated to be significant. The bill would take effect September 1, 2009. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal impact to local governments is anticipated. The 46 counties in the Seventh Court of Appeals District would incur slight costs to establish a separate appellate judicial system fund, but these costs are expected to be minimal. To the extent local government would incur a savings from having a new source of revenue to pay the approximately $30,000 per year of the supplemental salaries and benefits to justices of the court, the fiscal implication to units of local government is not anticipated to be significant. No significant fiscal impact to local governments is anticipated. The 46 counties in the Seventh Court of Appeals District would incur slight costs to establish a separate appellate judicial system fund, but these costs are expected to be minimal. To the extent local government would incur a savings from having a new source of revenue to pay the approximately $30,000 per year of the supplemental salaries and benefits to justices of the court, the fiscal implication to units of local government is not anticipated to be significant. Source Agencies: 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JOB, MN, JP, TP, TB JOB, MN, JP, TP, TB