LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE
75th Regular Session
March 20, 1997
TO: Honorable Bill Ratliff, Chair IN RE: Senate Joint Resolution
No. 33
Committee on Finance By: Moncrief
Senate
Austin, Texas
FROM: John Keel, Director
In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on SJR33 ( Proposing
a constitutional amendment relating to the dedication of the
compensation to victims of crime fund and the compensation to
victims of crime auxiliary fund.) this office has detemined
the following:
Biennial Net Impact to General Revenue Funds by SJR33-As Introduced
Implementing the provisions of the bill would result in a net
negative impact of $(182,913,000) to General Revenue Related
Funds through the biennium ending August 31, 1999.
Fiscal Analysis
The resolution would propose a constitutional amendment to make
the Compensation to Victims of Crime GR-Account 0469 and the
Compensation to Victims of Crime Auxiliary GR-Account 0494 dedicated
funds in the State Treasury. Currently, they are dedicated
accounts in the General Revenue Fund 0001.
Monies deposited
to the credit of these funds, from whatever source and subject
to Legislative appropriation, could be expended only for the
purpose of compensating victims of crime and for providing services
to victims of crime, as provided in Chapter 56 of the Code of
Criminal Procedures.
One exception to the proposed dedication
would be provided by the proposed amendment. In the event of
an episode of mass violence, the Legislative Budget Board would
be authorized to expend monies in either of the two funds for
the purpose of assisting victims of that event. Monies could
be spent out of the two funds only after monies appropriated
for providing assistance, as authorized under other state law,
were depleted.
The proposed constitutional amendment would
be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November
4, 1997. Upon passage, the proposed constitutional amendment
would take effect January 1, 1998.
Methodolgy
By creating new constitutionally dedicated funds, there would
be a loss to the General Revenue Fund because the two dedicated
accounts would no longer be in the General Revenue Fund. The
first-year loss for each account is based on the estimated fiscal
1997 ending balance plus the amount by which estimated revenues
would exceed estimated expenditures in fiscal 1998. For each
year thereafter, the losses are based on the difference between
estimated revenues and expenditures. The estimates of expenditures
for 1998 and 1999 are based on the proposed 1998-99 General
Appropriations Act, as filed. The fiscal impact after fiscal
1999 assumes that all revenue to the accounts would be appropriated.
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 Revenue Probable Revenue
Certification Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from Gain/(Loss) from
Gain/(Loss) from Compensation to Compensation to New -
General Revenue Victims of Crime Victims of Crime Compensation to
Fund Account/ Auxiliary Victims of Crime
GR-Dedicated Account/ and Auxiliary
GR-Dedicated Fund
0001 0469 0494 NEW-OTH
1998 ($156,747,000) ($154,134,000) ($2,613,000) $156,747,000
1998 (26,095,000) (25,444,000) (651,000) 26,095,000
2000 0 0
2001 0 0
2002 0 0
The following is the cost to the State for publication of the
resolution.
Fiscal Year Probable
Savings/(Cost)
from General
Revenue Fund
0001
1998
1999 0
2000 0
2001 0
2002 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 ($156,818,000)
1999 (26,095,000)
2000 0
2001 0
2002 0
The fiscal impact on local government would be the normal cost
of conducting local elections but no other fiscal implications
to local governments are anticipated.
Source: Agencies: 302 Office of the Attorney General
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff: JK ,RR ,JC