LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                                   Austin, Texas
         
                                   FISCAL NOTE
                               75th Regular Session
         
                                  March 23, 1997
         
         
      TO: Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair            IN RE:  Senate Bill No. 918
          Committee on Finance                              By: Patterson, Jerry
          Senate
          Austin, Texas
         
         
         
         
         FROM:  John Keel, Director    
         
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB918 ( Relating 
to funding the costs 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.) this office has detemined the following:
         
         Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB918-As Introduced
         
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net 
negative impact of $(21,101,563) 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 to create a new dedicated 
account in the General Revenue Fund called the fugitive apprehension 
account. The Legislature could appropriate funds in the account 
only for the purpose of paying the cost to the Texas Department 
of Public Safety (DPS) of apprehending individuals for whom 
warrants have been issued for violation of parole or mandatory 
supervision conditions.

Also, the bill would amend the Code 
of Criminal Procedure to require the Comptroller of Public Accounts 
to determine whether the amount of money credited, and money 
estimated to be subsequently credited during the biennium, to 
the dedicated Compensation to Victims of Crime Account and dedicated 
Compensation to Victims of Crime Auxiliary Account (both accounts 
are within the General Revenue Fund) exceed the amount of money 
necessary during the biennium to pay compensation to victims 
and other administration expenses. If the Comptroller determines 
that an excess amount of money exists or will exist in the accounts, 
the Comptroller would be required to transfer 30 percent of 
the excess amount from the Compensation to Victims of Crime 
Account to the fugitive apprehension account on September 1, 
1997 (or as the excess amount becomes available).

The bill 
would take effect upon passage and all provisions of the bill 
would expire September 1, 1999.  
 
Methodolgy
 
The Comptroller estimates that on or after September 1, 1997, 
$54.9 million could be transferred to the fugitive apprehension 
account from the Compensation to Victims of Crime Account; however, 
the figure is subject to change depending on the actual amounts 
appropriated by the Legislature. The Comptroller also indicates 
the bill would require a transfer of an amount that could include 
federal funds.

Estimated costs to DPS for apprehending the 
individuals targeted by the bill would include expenses for 
27 additional staff, equipment, and other operating expenses. 
 As a result of the additional apprehension efforts by DPS, 
additional incarceration costs to the Texas Department of Criminal 
Justice are also estimated. 
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           Probable Revenue   Probable           Probable           Change in Number   
            Savings/(Cost)     Gain/(Loss) from   Savings/(Cost)     Savings/(Cost)     of State          
            from               New GR-Dedicated   from New           from General       Employees from    
            Compensation to    Account -          GR-Dedicated       Revenue Fund       FY 1997           
            Victims of Crime                      Account -                                               
            Account/                                                                                      
            GR-Dedicated                                                                                  
            0469               8021               8021               0001                                  
       1998     ($54,853,000)       $54,853,000      ($2,983,975)      ($7,414,063)              27.0
       1998                 0                 0       (1,961,333)      (13,687,500)              27.0
       2000                 0                 0                 0       (6,273,438)               0.0
       2001                 0                 0                 0                 0               0.0
       2002                 0                 0                 0                 0               0.0
 
 
         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         ($7,414,063)
               1999         (13,687,500)
               2000          (6,273,438)
               2001                    0
               2002                    0
 
Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as 
the provisions of the bill are in effect.
          
It is estimated local county jails would incur additional incarceration 
costs as a result of the bill. Costs would vary between counties 
due to several factors, such as different jail operating costs 
and the locations where additional parole and mandatory supervision 
violators would be apprehended. The DPS estimates the bill could 
provide approximately $558,000 each year to local law enforcement 
agencies providing assistance to the DPS fugitive apprehension 
unit.
          
   Source:            Agencies:   696   Department of Criminal Justice
                                         405   Department of Public Safety
                                         304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
                                         
                      LBB Staff:   JK ,RR ,JN