LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              March 15, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on
               Judicial Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB938  by Thompson (Relating to the investigation and
               prosecution of an offense motivated by bias or prejudice
               and to other remedies for and protections against
               certain hateful acts.), Committee Report 1st House,
               Substituted
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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Existing resources would be sufficient to cover estimated needs.
However, funding this program would require the re-prioritization of
grants to local governments.

Annual grant awards combined with the administrative costs are estimated
to be $7.5 million per year, and may exceed the funding available in the
Criminal Justice Planning Account, Fund No. 421, the General Revenue-
Dedicated account earmarked for Criminal Justice Division grants.  An
additional position is needed in the Governor's Criminal Justice
Division to oversee and monitor the estimated 73 additional grant awards
anticipated under the provisions of this bill.  Assuming that the amount
of each grant will not exceed $50,000,  annual grant costs would equal
$3.7 million.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.  The bill would provide eligible counties with grants to
assist in prosecuting capital murder cases or "hate" crimes.  If funded
out of the Criminal Justice Planning Account, the costs associated with
implementing this bill would require the reallocation of Criminal Justice
Planning Account funds from grants to local criminal justice programs to
the new grant program.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, PE