LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
March 18, 1997
TO: Honorable Allen Hightower, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 279
Committee on Corrections By: West, George "Buddy"
House
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB279 ( Relating
to a requirement that physically and mentally able inmates of
the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice participate in work and educational programs.) this
office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB279-As Introduced
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
negative impact of $(146,323,068) to General Revenue Related
Funds through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal
basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions
of the bill.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code by requiring each inmate
in the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal
Justice (TDCJ) who is physically and mentally capable, to participate
at least 60 hours per week in an agricultural, vocational, industrial,
or other work program. Additionally, inmates who do not have
a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, but who
are capable of obtaining one, would be required to participate
at least 10 hours per week in an educational program.
Methodolgy
For all inmates with the learning ability to achieve a high
school education to participate at least 10 hours weekly in
an educational program would add approximately 10,000 students
to the Windham School System. To maintain a staffing level of
50 students to 1 teacher ratio, it is estimated that Windham
would add approximately 200 more academic teachers.
Requiring
each capable inmate to participate 60 hours weekly in a work
related program would increase the aggregate number of inmate
hours worked by approximately 2.3 million hours per week.
This estimate assumes that 15% of the additional work could
be supervised with existing resources, and that new work shifts
would maintain a ratio of one supervisor per 25 inmate workers.
Under this scenario, it is estimated that TDCJ would require
an additional 1,946 full-time supervisors.
It is estimated
that the additional work hours would be added to unit-support
work programs, rather than industry or agriculture programs,
as TDCJ estimates that the industry and agriculture programs
are currently operating at maximum production capacity.
The
estimate assumes the bill will have immediate effect.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions
of the bill during each of the first six years following passage
is estimated as follows:
Six Year Impact:
Fiscal Year Probable Probable Change in Number
Savings/(Cost) Savings/(Cost) of State
from Foundation from General Employees from
School Fund Revenue Fund FY 1997
0193 0001
1997 ($7,250,000) ($22,014,614) 2,146.0
1997 (14,500,000) (44,029,227) 2,146.0
1999 (14,500,000) (44,029,227) 2,146.0
2000 (14,500,000) (44,029,227) 2,146.0
2001 (14,500,000) (44,029,227) 2,146.0
2002 (14,500,000) (44,029,227) 2,146.0
Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds
during each of the first six years is estimated as follows:
Fiscal Year Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
General Revenue Related Funds
Funds
1997 ($29,264,614)
1998 (58,529,227)
1999 (58,529,227)
2000 (58,529,227)
2001 (58,529,227)
2002 (58,529,227)
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source: Agencies: 696 Department of Criminal Justice
701 Texas Education Agency - Administration
LBB Staff: JK ,CB ,JN