LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              March 5, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Fred M. Bosse, Chair, House Committee on Civil
               Practices
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB633  by Turner, Sylvester (Relating to compensation for
               a person wrongfully imprisoned.), As Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would change the methods for calculating damages for wrongful
imprisonment.  The bill would eliminate damages for physical and mental
pain and suffering and would specify methods for the calculation of
damages for lost wages.  The bill would increase the maximum assessment
of damages from $50,000 to $125,000.  The Office of the Attorney General
reports that one wrongful imprisonment lawsuit was funded by the 76th
Legislature.  Currently, three lawsuits are awaiting funding by the 77th
Legislature.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2001
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts, 302   Office of
                   the Attorney General, 405   Texas Department of
                   Public Safety, 410   Criminal Justice Policy
                   Council, 696   Texas Department of Criminal Justice
LBB Staff:         JK, TB, VS