TO:	Honorable Joan Huffman, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1964 by Hinojosa (Relating to certain fees assessed in Hidalgo County district courts including fees assessed by the Hidalgo county clerk.), As Introduced

The bill would amend the Government Code to permit a clerk of court to collect a filing fee of up to $40 in each civil case filed in a court to be used towards the construction and renovation of court facilities. The bill would require the clerk to send the fees to the county auditor. The bill establishes an expiration of the fee. Under the provisions of the bill, the county clerk would be permitted to collect an additional fee of up to $10 for certain filings to be used to fund the construction and renovation of court facilities. Both fees established by the bill would be required to be approved or passed by resolution by the commissioners court of the county. The bill applies only to Hidalgo County.

The Office of Court Administration report no significant fiscal impact to the state court system is anticipated.

Local Government Impact

Because the bill would not have statewide impact on units of local government of the same type or class, no comment from this office is required by the rules of the House/Senate as to its probable fiscal implication on units of local government.