Honorable James White, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3712 by Thompson, Ed (Relating to the hiring and training of and policies for peace officers.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3712, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($334,273) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2022
($170,418)
2023
($163,855)
2024
($163,855)
2025
($163,855)
2026
($163,855)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2021
2022
($170,418)
1.0
2023
($163,855)
1.0
2024
($163,855)
1.0
2025
($163,855)
1.0
2026
($163,855)
1.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to develop and maintain a model training curriculum and model policies for peace officers who conduct field training.
The bill would require TCOLE to develop and make available to all law enforcement agencies a model policy for the preemployment investigation of a licensed person.
Methodology
According to TCOLE, the agency uses committees comprised primarily of law enforcement stakeholders when developing new training materials or model policies. TCOLE indicates that it would require 1.0 Curriculum Coordinator to coordinate the following stakeholder committees:
One committee of five people to amend the basic peace officer course under 1701.2551; One committee of eight people to develop training under 1701.269; One committee of eight people to create a model policy under 1701.269; and One committee of eight people to create a model policy under 1701.459.
TCOLE estimates that it would cost $57,989 for the four committees to travel one overnight 3-4 times each, for a total of 105 travel days per fiscal year.
The total cost for hiring 1.0 FTE is estimated to be $101,569 in each fiscal year, which includes salary, benefits, and travel costs. Additionally, it would cost $2,800 in each fiscal year for rent.
According to the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas, it is assumed that the costs associated with consultation for the model policy on preemployment investigations could be absorbed using existing resources.
This analysis assumes implementing the provisions of the bill would not result in a significant impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources.
Technology
According to TCOLE, the estimated cost for IT equipment and maintenance would be $8,060 in fiscal year 2022 and $1,497 in each fiscal year thereafter.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
407 Law Enforcement, 758 Texas State University System