LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          April 11, 1995



 TO:     Honorable John Whitmire, Chair         IN RE: Committee Substitute
         Committee on Criminal Justice          for
         Senate                                                Senate Bill
         Austin, Texas                          No. 254
                                                            









FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on Senate Bill No.
254 (Relating to authorizing certain supervision officers to
carry weapons.) this office has determined the following:

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions
of the bill.

The bill  would authorize community supervision officers to carry
firearms.  The bill would require the Texas Commission on Law
Enforcement Officer Standards and Education to develop and
administer a firearms proficiency certificate program.  The bill
would authorize the Commission to establish fees necessary for
the administration of this act.  The estimates below assume full
cost recovery.

The probable fiscal implication of implementing the provisions of
the bill during each of the first  five years following passage
is estimated as follows:
         




            Fiscal  Probable Cost Out   Probable Revenue      Change in    
             Year           of              Gain to        Number of State 
                        Law Officer       Law Officer       Employees from 
                        Standards          Standards           FY 1995     
                     & Education Fund   & Education Fund                   
                           116                116                          
                     GR Consolidated    GR Consolidated                    
                                                                           
          1996                 $64,548            $64,548               1.0
          1997                  28,130             28,130               1.0
                                                                           
          1998                  28,130             28,130               1.0
                                                                           
          1999                  28,130             28,130               1.0
          2000                  28,130             28,130               1.0
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
       Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the
provisions of the bill are in effect.






The fiscal implication to units of local government cannot be
determined.  However the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
Officer Standards and Education estimates that the cost to local
Community Supervision and Corrections Departments would be $300
per person certified.


Source:   Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and
Education,
                          Department of Criminal Justice
          LBB Staff: JK, BL, RR