Honorable Abel Herrero, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1524 by Sherman, Sr. (Relating to the use of body worn cameras by correctional officers.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1524, As Introduced : a negative impact of ($23,900,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2025.
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
2024
($16,300,000)
2025
($7,600,000)
2026
($7,600,000)
2027
($7,600,000)
2028
($7,600,000)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2024
($16,300,000)
2025
($7,600,000)
2026
($7,600,000)
2027
($7,600,000)
2028
($7,600,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to develop a policy to outfit all correctional officers with body-worn cameras. There would be a significant fiscal impact for TDCJ to purchase and maintain body-worn cameras for all correctional officers.
Methodology
House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1 currently include $16.3 million in General Revenue in fiscal year 2024 to fund the purchase at TDCJ of approximately 11,000 body-worn cameras for the correctional officers working on the agency's maximum security units and $7.6 million in General Revenue in fiscal year 2025 to fund the ongoing maintenance, warranties, and storage of these devices.
According to TDCJ, there are an additional 11,000 correctional officers at the non-maximum units that would not be provided a body-worn camera out of the funding provided in House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1. The agency has assumed that the cost to outfit the remaining correctional officers would be roughly the same.
Technology
According to TDCJ, technology costs are estimated to total $8.7 million in one-time costs to purchase approximately 11,000 body-worn cameras and $7.6 million per fiscal year for ongoing maintenance, warranties, and storage.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.