SRC-BWC S.B. 1348 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1348
77R6604 JRD-DBy: Armbrister
Administration
4/24/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Cities and counties feel that it is important that legislators be fully
informed of the impact that a small change or addition to court costs or
fees will have on the total amount charged to an offender.  Fiscal notes
prepared on proposed legislative actions always consider the impact of the
particular fund by itself, without considering the impact to the total
court costs to be collected from an offender.  It is difficult to know the
overall impact and result from one action when it is considered singularly.
Cities and counties feel that if the total court cost for a criminal
offense were made clear in the fiscal note, it is possible that some rate
change or implementations might be reconsidered.  As proposed, S.B. 1348
provides that in addition to the impact and fiscal impact of the change or
addition alone, the total impact of the change to the court costs imposed
on an offender should be indicated to give a complete picture of the effect
of the change or addition. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 314, Government Code, by adding Section 314.005,
as follows: 

Sec. 314.005.  IMPOSING COURT COSTS ON CERTAIN CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS.
Requires the Legislative Budget Board (board) to prepare an impact
statement for each bill or resolution proposing a constitutional amendment
that proposes a new court cost or fee or an increase in the amount of a
court cost or fee on a person charged with a criminal offense, including a
court cost or fee charged on conviction or other disposition or postponed
disposition of the criminal charge.  Requires the impact statement to show
the total amount of court costs and fees that persons will be required to
pay under the bill or resolution when considered together with all other
applicable laws.  Requires the board to deliver a copy of the impact
statement to the author of the bill or resolution and to each member of a
legislative committee to which the bill or resolution is referred not later
than the 10th day after the date the bill or resolution is referred to the
committee.  Requires the impact statement, if required or permitted by the
rules of the applicable house of the legislature, to be attached to the
bill or resolution in the same manner that a fiscal note is attached under
Section 314.003 and applicable legislative rules. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.