Honorable Joan Huffman, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB295 by Murr (Relating to the provision of funding for indigent defense services.), As Engrossed
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to assist counties in improving their provision of indigent defense services, including indigent defense support services. The bill would also expand the entities eligible to receive grants from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission for improving a county's provision of indigent defense services.
That bill would also amend the Tax Code to change the definition of “indigent defense compensation expenditures” for purposes of the adjustment of a county's no-new-revenue maintenance and operations rate to reflect increases in those expenditures.
According to the Office of Court Administration, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be covered within existing resources and no significant fiscal impact to the state court system is anticipated.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
212 Office of Court Admin, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts