LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                               May 10, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Robert Junell, Chair, House Committee on
               Appropriations
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB195 by Longoria (relating to benefits paid to surviving
               spouses of certain public servants), Committee Report 1st
               House, Substituted
  
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*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Fundsfor     *
*  HB195, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted:  negative impact      *
*  of $(2,000,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2001.          *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal      *
*  basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of    *
*  the bill.                                                             *
**************************************************************************
  
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Net Impact:
  
          ****************************************************
          *  Fiscal Year  Probable Net Positive/(Negative)   *
          *               Impact to General Revenue Related  *
          *                             Funds                *
          *       2000                         $(1,000,000)  *
          *       2001                          (1,000,000)  *
          *       2002                          (1,000,000)  *
          *       2003                          (1,000,000)  *
          *       2004                          (1,000,000)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
         *****************************************************
         * Fiscal Year      Probable Savings/(Cost) from      *
         *                      General Revenue Fund          *
         *                              0001                  *
         *      2000                             $(1,000,000) *
         *      2001                              (1,000,000) *
         *      2002                              (1,000,000) *
         *      2003                              (1,000,000) *
         *      2004                              (1,000,000) *
         *****************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would increase the lump sum benefit paid to the surviving spouse
of a law enforcement officer or fire fighter killed in the line of duty
from $50,000 to $250,000.  The bill would change the benefit paid to a
surviving dependent sibling from a monthly benefit of $200 to a lump sum
of $150,000.  Only survivors of law enforcement officers or fire
fighters killed after September 1, 1999 are eligible for the enhanced
benefits.
  
  
Methodology
  
The increase in the payments to surviving spouses would cost an
additional $1,000,000 per year from the state's general revenue fund.
This estimate assumes that benefits are paid to 10 surviving spouses
each year.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   327   Employees Retirement Sys, 781   Higher
                   Education Coordinating Board
LBB Staff:         JK, BB, SC