SRC-CDH S.B. 918 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 918 By: Patterson Finance 3-17-97 As Filed DIGEST Currently, there are more than 13,379 parole violators at large in Texas. Apart from local law enforcement efforts, which are often carried out on a restricted budget with limited manpower, the only effort by statewide law enforcement is the Department of Public Safety Fugitive Apprehension Squad which consists of four DPS officers for the entire state. This legislation creates a fugitive apprehension account in the state treasury to be used by DPS solely for the purpose of rounding up parole violators in an attempt to facilitate the quick capture of those persons. The account will be funded by taking 30 percent of the Crime Victims Compensation Fund, a one-time withdrawal which will yield roughly $27 million to fund fugitive apprehension for the next decade. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 918 establishes a method of funding the cost of apprehending certain inmates for whom warrants are issued by the Board of Pardons and Paroles or the pardons and paroles division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 411A, Government Code, by adding Section 411.0097, as follows: Sec. 411.0097. FUGITIVE APPREHENSION ACCOUNT. Provides that the fugitive apprehension account is a special account in the general revenue fund. Authorizes the legislature to appropriate funds in the account only for the purpose of paying for the cost to the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas of apprehending individuals for whom warrants have been issued. Provides that this section expires September 1, 1999. SECTION 2. Amends Article 56.54, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding Subsection (h), to require the comptroller, not later than September 1, 1997, to determine the amount of money credited on that date to the compensation to victims of crime fund and to the compensation to victims of crime auxiliary fund, and also the amount that will be subsequently credited to those funds during the biennium ending August 31, 1999. Requires the comptroller to determine whether this amount exceeds the amount of money necessary during the biennium to pay compensation to claimants or victims and other administration expenses. Requires the comptroller, if there is an excess amount, to transfer 30 percent from the compensation to victims of crime account to the fugitive apprehension account on September 1, 1997, under certain circumstances. Provides that this subsection expires September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.