LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
March 13, 2001
TO: Honorable Pat Haggerty, Chair, House Committee on
Corrections
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB859 by Dutton (Relating to in-prison geriatric
communities.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB859, As Introduced: negative impact of $(1,322,696) 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. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $(566,870) *
* 2003 (755,826) *
* 2004 (755,826) *
* 2005 (755,826) *
* 2006 (755,826) *
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All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*Fiscal Probable Savings/(Cost) from Change in Number of State *
* Year General Revenue Fund Employees from FY 2001 *
* 0001 *
* 2002 $(566,870) 20.0 *
* 2003 (755,826) 20.0 *
* 2004 (755,826) 20.0 *
* 2005 (755,826) 20.0 *
* 2006 (755,826) 20.0 *
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Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Institutional Division of the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to establish in-prison geriatric communities
for at least 800 offenders who are 60 years of age or older. The bill
would require the Institutional Division and the Texas Department on
Aging to develop methods for screening and assessing geriatric inmates
to determine their needs. The program would consist of a treatment
program of indeterminate length that addresses the special problems of
geriatric inmates. The bill would direct the Institutional Division to
employ or contract with qualified professionals to implement the
program. The Criminal Justice Policy Council would be directed to
develop methods to evaluate the processes used in providing the program
and the level of success achieved. The bill would take effect September
1, 2001.
Methodology
During fiscal year 2000, there were approximately 2,700 offenders in the
Institutional Division who were 60 years of age or older. The bill
specifies a minimum of 800 beds for the program. TDCJ does not currently
provide specialized geriatric services. For the purpose of this
analysis, it is assumed that a Social Service Worker III (salary
classification B5) would meet the qualifications specified and that TDCJ
would hire 20 positions to implement the program (staff to client ratio
of 1:40). At an estimated average cost of $29,460 per Social Service
Worker, the annual estimated cost is $589,200. Benefits add 28.28
percent to give a total annual estimated cost of $755,826. For fiscal
year 2002, the annual cost is reduced by 25 percent to allow for a
three-month lag in program implementation.
It is assumed that the Criminal Justice Policy Council (CJPC) would be
able to develop methods to evaluate the program within its current
resources. While the provisions of the bill only require the CJPC to
develop methods of evaluation, the CJPC estimates that it would cost
approximately $84,500 per year and require one additional position for
the CJPC to implement the evaluation.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies: 410 Criminal Justice Policy Council, 696 Texas
Department of Criminal Justice, 340 Texas
Department on Aging
LBB Staff: JK, JC, VS, JN