Bill: HB 2868, 84(R) - 2015
Committee
House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Companion Bill
SB 1964
Vote Recommendation
| Vote Recommendation |
Economic Freedom |
Property Rights |
Personal Responsibility |
Limited Government |
Individual Liberty |
| Yes |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Positive |
Neutral |
Author(s)
Armando Martinez
Co-Author(s)
Terry Canales
Bill Caption
Relating to the imposition of an additional fee for filing civil cases in certain Hidalgo County courts.
Fiscal Notes
No significant fiscal implication to the State anticipated.
The Comptroller of Public Accounts contacted Hidalgo County to determine
the fiscal impact. Hidalgo County's fiscal year (FY) begins January 1.
Hidalgo County reported that the county would collect an estimated $1.9
million per year in new revenue for FY 2016- FY 2020, assuming that all
filings remain at the current levels. FY 2015 would be prorated for four
months, totaling $600,000 in additional revenue resulting from the new
fines.
Bill Analysis
HB 2868 would allow Hidalgo County court clerks to collect a
fee of $10 for the filing for real property records, both to be
used to fund the construction and renovation of court facilities. The
fee would expire in 2030 unless rescinded earlier by the commissioners'
court of the county.
Vote Recommendation Notes
This bill affirms the principle of limited government. While the bill
does carry a fiscal impact, it is an appropriate one. A legitimate
function of limited government is to provide a justice system. It is
important to have courthouses to carry out that justice system that are
adequate to the size of the population and that do not require constant
maintenance because of their age, which would potentially cause more
costs than simply updating the building. SB 1964 achieves these goals
while placing the financial burden on those who actively use the system
by filing cases, therefore we support this legislation.
