LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  March 10, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Keith Oakley, Chair            IN RE:  House Bill No. 1881
          Committee on Public Safety                              By: Oakley
          House
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on HB1881 ( Relating 
to initial training and continuing education for police chiefs.) 
this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by HB1881-As Introduced
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
impact of $0 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
 
This bill would require the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management 
Institute of Texas (LEMIT) to establish and offer initial training 
and continuing education programs for police chiefs.  Each police 
chief must receive at least 40 hours of continuing education 
from LEMIT every two years.  A newly appointed or elected chief 
must receive at least 80 hours of initial training within the 
first two years after his or her appointment or election.  
 
Methodolgy
 
The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Institute is administered 
by Sam Houston State University and funded by the Bill Blackwood 
Law Enforcement Management Institute Fund.  Training and continuing 
education costs for all eligible participants who are Texas 
residents must be paid from the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement 
Management Institute Fund (Blackwood Fund).   Covered costs 
include tuition, books, rooms, board and travel costs.  Revenue 
for this fund is generated by court costs collected from persons 
convicted of criminal offenses including moving traffic violations.

Currently 
LEMIT offers a training program similar the one outlined in 
this bill.  However, this program is exclusively for newly appointed 
chiefs.   It is assumed that LEMIT would offer continuing education 
programs to 400 chiefs each year.  In addition, initial training 
would be offered to 100 new chiefs each year. 

In Fiscal 
Year 1996, $1.75 million in revenue was generated for the Blackwood 
Fund.  Training and continuing education costs for participants 
was $2.10 million.  The remaining expenditures were paid with 
prior year balances.  The net cash balance of the Blackwood 
Fund at August 31, 1996 was $1.15 million.  The estimated increase 
in costs for the additional police chief training is $590,908 
per year.  Increased revenue to the Blackwood Fund may be necessary 
to cover the additional costs.
The probable fiscal implications of implementing the provisions 
of the bill during each of the first five years following passage 
is estimated as follows:
 
Five Year Impact:
 
Fiscal Year Probable           Change in Number   
            Savings/(Cost)     of State                                                                   
            from Bill          Employees from                                                             
            Blackwood Law      FY 1997                                                                    
            Enforcement                                                                                   
            Management Inst                                                                               
            Account/                                                                                      
            GR-Dedicated                                                                                  
            0581                                                                                           
       1998        ($595,908)               2.0                                                      
       1998         (590,908)               2.0                                                      
       2000         (590,908)               2.0                                                      
       2001         (590,908)               2.0                                                      
       2002         (590,908)               2.0                                                      
 
 
         Net Impact on General Revenue Related Funds:
 
The probable fiscal implication to General Revenue related funds 
during each of the first five years is estimated as follows:
 
              Fiscal Year      Probable Net Postive/(Negative)
                               General Revenue Related Funds
                                             Funds
               1998                   $0
               1999                    0
               2000                    0
               2001                    0
               2002                    0
 
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as 
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
          
If units of local government are currently funding the costs 
of training and continuing education costs for Police Chiefs, 
the units could realize a cost savings.  However, no significant 
fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   
                                         753   Sam Houston State University
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,CB ,DB