LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              March 6, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Fred M. Bosse, Chair, House Committee on Civil
               Practices
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB1536  by Coleman (Relating to compensation for persons
               wrongfully imprisoned.), As Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would omit the requirement that a claimant for wrongful
imprisonment prove that he or she had plead "not guilty" to the offense
for which the person was convicted.  The bill would remove the cap on the
amount of damages a claimant may receive.  The bill would also provide
that in addition to other damages the claimant is entitled to $20,000 per
year.  The bill would require that damages be adjusted in accordance
with the Consumer Price Index.

The Office of Attorney General (OAG) anticipates any increase in workload
from the passage of this bill could reasonably be absorbed within
current resources.  The OAG reports that one wrongful imprisonment
lawsuit was funded by the 76th Legislature.  Currently, three, possibly
four, lawsuits are awaiting funding by the 77th Legislature.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   307   Secretary of State, 304   Comptroller of Public
                   Accounts, 302   Office of the Attorney General
LBB Staff:         JK, TB