COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION

FISCAL NOTE

L.R. No.:         4388-01

Bill No.:          SB 1016

Subject:           Courts; Federal – State Relations; Fees

Type:              Original

Date:               February 18, 2008

Bill Summary:            The proposal provides that a portion of the tort victims’ compensation fund shall be transferred to the basic civil legal services fund.

FISCAL SUMMARY

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 5 pages.

☐ Estimated Total Net Effect on All funds expected to exceed $100,000 savings or (cost).

☐ Estimated Net Effect on General Revenue Fund expected to exceed $100,000 (cost).

FISCAL ANALYSIS

ASSUMPTION

Officials from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the State Treasurer’s Office assume the proposal would have no fiscal impact on their agency.

Officials from the Office of State Courts Administrator assume the proposed legislation would have no fiscal impact on the courts.

Oversight assumes the proposal would require twenty-six percent of all payments deposited into the tort victims’ compensation fund to be transferred to the basic civil legal services fund. Total payments to the tort victims’ compensation fund for the first seven months of FY 08 were $25,726. For fiscal note purposes, Oversight assumes the deposits for the remaining five months of FY 08 would approximate that of the first seven months, and total deposits for FY 08 would be $44,102. Oversight assumes twenty-six percent of these deposits, or $11,467, would be transferred to the basic civil legal services fund annually.

Oversight assumes the total balance remaining in the legal services for low-income people fund as of August 28, 2008, would be transferred to the basic civil legal services fund. The balance in the legal services for low-income people fund as of June 30, 2007, was $222,757. The balance in this fund as of January 31, 2008, was $227,296. For fiscal note purposes, Oversight assumes the balance in this fund as of August 30, 2008, would be approximately $230,000. Oversight assumes this balance would be transferred to the basic civil legal services fund.

Officials from the Office of the Attorney General did not respond to Oversight’s request for fiscal impact.

FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business

No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.

FISCAL DESCRIPTION

The proposal dissolves the Legal Services for Low-Income Person Fund and provides that twenty-six percent of the deposits into the Tort Victims’ Compensation Fund, in addition to any money remaining in the Legal Services for Low-Income Person Fund as of August 3, 2008, be transferred to the Basic Civil Legal Services Fund.

This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Office of State Courts Administrator

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

State Treasurer’s Office

NOT RESPONDING

Office of the Attorney General

                                                                                                Mickey Wilson, CPA

                                                                                                Director

                                                                                                February 18, 2008