LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session March 31, 1999 TO: Honorable Juan Hinojosa, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB163 by Carona (Relating to the fee paid by a defendant for the execution or processing of an arrest warrant or capias.), As Engrossed ************************************************************************** * No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. * * * * The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal * * basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of * * the bill. * ************************************************************************** The state receives 20 percent of the proceeds of an arrest warrant executed by a state peace officer, while local governments retain the remaining 80 percent of such warrants plus all arrest warrant proceeds for warrants executed by local peace officers. Raising the fee on an arrest warrant from $35 to $50 would generate additional revenues to both General Revenue and to local governments. Additional revenue to the state is not anticipated to be significant. Local Government Impact Most local governments would receive additional arrest warrant fee revenue as a result of the bill's passage. The amount would depend on the number of arrest warrants issued and the local collections rate. The following three cities and one county provided the number of arrest warrants in a twelve month period: Austin issued 58,019 warrants with a 29 percent collection rate; Irving issued 57,000 warrants with a collection rate of 35 percent; Arlington had a 43 percent collection rate on 67,282 issued warrants; Dallas County disposed of 39,000 warrants with a collection rate of 85 percent. Based on these estimates, the following annual increases in fee revenue could be realized: City of Austin - $252,390 City of Irving - $299,250 City of Arlington - $433,965 Dallas County - $585,000 Brazoria County could not provide the number of warrants but reported receiving $8,149 in warrant fees in the last fiscal year. It is estimated that Brazoria County would collect an additional $3,495 upon passage of the bill. Source Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK, MD, TL