GOVERNMENT CODE
CHAPTER 319. LEGISLATION REGARDING JUDICIAL SYSTEM
SUBCHAPTER A. JUDICIAL SYSTEM IMPACT NOTES
§ 319.001. SYSTEM OF JUDICIAL SYSTEM IMPACT NOTES. The
Legislative Budget Board shall establish a system of judicial
system impact notes identifying the probable costs and effects of
each bill or resolution that has an identifiable and measurable
effect on the dockets, workloads, efficiency, staff and personnel
requirements, operating resources, and currently existing material
resources of the Supreme Court of Texas, the Court of Criminal
Appeals of Texas, the courts of appeals, the district courts, the
statutory county courts, the county courts at law, the county
courts, and the justice courts of this state.
Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 10, § 21.01, eff.
Sept. 1, 1991.
§ 319.002. ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS. In preparing a
judicial system impact note, the Legislative Budget Board shall
project cost estimates and any identifiable and measurable effect
on the dockets, workloads, efficiency, staff and personnel
requirements, operating resources, and currently existing material
resources of the state's courts for a five-year period that begins
on the effective date of the bill or resolution and shall state
whether or not costs and effects will be involved after that period.
Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 10, § 21.01, eff.
Sept. 1, 1991.
§ 319.003. ATTACHMENT TO BILL OR RESOLUTION. (a) If a
judicial system impact note is required on a bill or resolution, it
must be attached to the bill or resolution before a committee
hearing on the bill or resolution may be conducted.
(b) The judicial system impact note must be printed on the
first page of the committee report of the bill or resolution and on
the first page of all subsequent printings.
(c) The judicial system impact note must remain with the
bill or resolution throughout the legislative process, including
submission to the governor.
(d) A judicial system impact note that omits any information
required by this chapter must specifically note the omission, state
the reason for the omission, and estimate the additional time and
effort required to obtain the information.
Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 10, § 21.01, eff.
Sept. 1, 1991.
§ 319.004. ASSISTANCE TO THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET
BOARD. Every judicial officer of every court named in Section
319.001 and every person employed by such courts shall, at the
request of the Legislative Budget Board or an authorized employee
or representative of the board, provide any information requested
by the board or any authorized employee or representative of the
board relevant to the preparation of a judicial system impact note
on a pending or proposed bill or resolution as accurately and as
quickly as possible after receiving such a request.
Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 10, § 21.01, eff.
Sept. 1, 1991.
SUBCHAPTER B. LEGISLATION RELATING TO COURT COSTS
§ 319.021. IMPACT STATEMENT ON LEGISLATION IMPOSING
COURT COSTS ON CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS. (a) This section applies
only to a new court cost or fee that is remitted to the comptroller.
(b) The Legislative Budget Board shall prepare an impact
statement for each resolution proposing a constitutional amendment
or bill that proposes imposing a new court cost or fee on a person
charged with a criminal offense or increasing the amount of an
existing court cost or fee imposed on a person charged with a
criminal offense, including a court cost or fee imposed on
conviction or other disposition or postponed disposition of the
criminal charge.
(c) The impact statement must show the total amount of court
costs and fees that persons will be required to pay under the bill
or resolution when considered together with all other applicable
laws.
(d) The state auditor shall provide the Legislative Budget
Board with the initial data needed to develop a mechanism that will
be used to produce the impact statements.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 209, § 84, eff. Oct. 1, 2003.
