LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session April 10, 2001 TO: Honorable Juan Hinojosa, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB131 by Deshotel (Relating to the use of the compensation to victims of crime fund to reimburse the reasonable costs of certain victims' medical examinations.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB131, As Introduced: positive impact of $0 through the biennium * * ending August 31, 2003. * * * * 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 Impact: **************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) * * Impact to General Revenue Related * * Funds * * 2002 $0 * * 2003 0 * * 2004 0 * * 2005 0 * * 2006 0 * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: ***************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from * * Compensation to Victims of Crime * * Account/ GR-Dedicated * * 0469 * * 2002 $(3,810,000) * * 2003 (4,190,000) * * 2004 (4,610,000) * * 2005 (5,100,000) * * 2006 (5,580,000) * ***************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would allow the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to use the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund to reimburse local law enforcement agencies for the reasonable costs associated with medical examinations of victims of alleged sexual assault. Currently, those costs are paid by the local law enforcement agencies. If reimbursement requests were submitted for all examinations, the OAG estimates that the cost would be $3.81 million in fiscal year 2002 and increase to $5.58 million in fiscal year 2006. Methodology Based on information the OAG obtained from the Texas Uniform Crime Report, there were 7,629 rapes committed in Texas in 1999. The OAG assumed that reimbursement will be requested for all examinations, and that the number of requests will increase by 10% annually. The OAG anticipates an increase in the number of medical examinations as police departments become less hesitant to order a medical examination since the cost will be reimbursed. The fee currently charged to law enforcement for the examinations includes the examiner's fee, facility fee, and supplies (rape kit, etc.). The OAG determined that the total cost ranged from $325 to $550. An average price of $450 per examination is used for calculations in this estimate. Local Government Impact Local law enforcement agencies would realize savings in the amounts shown above. Source Agencies: 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 302 Office of the Attorney General LBB Staff: JK, JC, SC