LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
May 7, 1999
TO: Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on
State Affairs
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB1785 by Gallegos (relating to creation of a benefit
fund and supplemental one-time payment for certain
disabled or deceased peace officers and fire fighters ),
Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* SB1785, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: negative impact *
* of $(3,000,000) 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. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2000 $(1,500,000) *
* 2001 (1,500,000) *
* 2002 (1,500,000) *
* 2003 (1,500,000) *
* 2004 (1,500,000) *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from *
* General Revenue Fund *
* 0001 *
* 2000 $(1,500,000) *
* 2001 (1,500,000) *
* 2002 (1,500,000) *
* 2003 (1,500,000) *
* 2004 (1,500,000) *
*****************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill allows for a one-time payment of $75,000 to peace officers and
fire fighters, paid or volunteer, who sustain an injury in the line of
duty that results in a permanent incapacity for work, or who are killed
in the line of duty. The payment would only be available if the injury
or death did not result from criminally injurious conduct. The bill
would establish an account in the General Revenue Fund, called the Peace
Officer and Fire Fighter Supplemental Payment Account, consisting of
gifts, grants, and other revenues.
This Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the
implementation of this Act is provided in the General Appropriations
Act.
Methodology
It is estimated that an average of 35 peace officers and fire fighters a
year are permanently disabled from the performance of their duties, out
of a total of approximately 80,000 peace officers and fire fighters in
the state. In addition, it is estimated that an average of 5 peace
officers and fire fighters a year are killed in the performance of their
duties. Of this total yearly number of 40 peace officers and fire
fighters, it is estimated that half of the injuries and deaths are not
the result of criminally injurious conduct. The annual cost for 20
payments of $75,000 each is $1,500,000. It is assumed that gifts and
grants received by the Peace Officer and Fire Fighter Supplemental
Payment Account would be insufficient to pay the benefits, and that
General Revenue would be used.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
LBB Staff: JK, SD, SC