LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
May 8, 1997
TO: Honorable Robert Junell, Chair IN RE: Senate Bill No. 987, As Engrossed
Committee on Appropriations By: Moncrief
House
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SB987 ( relating
to the use of excess money in the compensation to victims of
crime fund) this office has detemined the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SB987-As Engrossed
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
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to permit
the Legislature to use money in the Compensation to Victims
of Crime GR-Account 0469 (account) for additional purposes.
Through September 1, 1999, the Legislature could appropriate
money in the account to state agencies for programs or purposes
that provided benefits, services or assistance to victims, guardians
of victims, or immediate family members of victims.
On
or before December 15 of each even-numbered year, and after
consulting with the Comptroller, the Attorney General would
be required to certify an estimate of the amount that would
be received from deposits (other than gifts, grants, donations,
and federal funds) to the credit of the account during the next
biennium and the amount required to make all payments of awards
and other obligations during the next biennium. Also, the
Attorney General would be required to certify an estimate of
the amount by which the estimated amount of deposits would exceed
an amount equal to 115 percent of the amount certified as required
to meet all obligations of the account. The amount would be
called "excess money."
The Attorney General and the Comptroller
would be required to cooperate in determining the proper allocation
of various sources of revenue deposited to the credit of the
account for the purposes of the appropriation of excess money
for other crime victim assistance.
The Legislature would
be permitted to appropriate excess money from the account for
a program or purpose that provides benefits, services, or assistance
to victims, guardians of victims, or immediate family members
of victims.
The bill would amend the Government Code
and the Code of Criminal Procedures to create a new, dedicated
account in the general revenue fund entitled the Fugitive Apprehension
Account and direct the Comptroller of Public Accounts, on or
before September 1, 1997, to transfer $8 million from the Compensation
to Victims of Crime Fund to this new account. The Legislature
would be authorized to appropriate funds in the account only
for the purpose of paying Department of Public Safety costs
for apprehending individuals for whom warrants have been issued
by the Department of Criminal Justice, Pardons and Parole Division,
or the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
The bill would also
create the new dedicated DNA Testing Account in the general
revenue fund. It would direct the Comptroller to transfer
$650,000 from the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund to the
new account, on September 1, 1997. Money in that account could
be appropriated only to the University of North Texas for equipment,
processing, and personnel for the DNA testing program.
Methodolgy
The bill would permit the Legislature to appropriate for other
specified purposes money determined to be more than sufficient
to make payments of awards and other obligations from the Compensation
to Victims of Crime Account 469. If there were funds available
above 115 percent of the amount certified as required to meet
obligations, the Legislature would be permitted to appropriate
the amount by which the excess money exceeded 115 percent of
the amount certified for the stated purposes. The determination
of the excess amount would not begin until the biennium beginning
September 1, 1999. There would be no limitation (other than
the account balance) on the amount that could be appropriated
for the biennium beginning September 1, 1997.
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 Revenue Probable Revenue Probable Revenue
Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from
Compensation to New - GR New - GR
Victims of Crime Dedicated
Fugitive Dedicated
DNA
Account/ Apprehension Testing Account
GR-Dedicated Account
0469 NEW-DED NEW-DED
1998 ($8,650,000) $8,000,000 $650,000
1998 0 0 0
2000 0 0 0
2001 0 0 0
2002 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 $0
1999 0
2000 0
2001 0
2002 0
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source: Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff: JK ,RR ,JC