LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
May 9, 2001
TO: Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair, Senate Committee on
Criminal Justice
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB1572 by Haggerty (Relating to the rights of victims of
crime, participation by victims and witnesses in certain
criminal proceedings, and the payment of restitution to
victims.), As Engrossed
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB1572, As Engrossed: 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. *
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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:
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*Fiscal Probable Savings/(Cost) from Change in Number of State *
* Year Compensation to Victims of Employees from FY 2001 *
* Crime Account/ GR-Dedicated *
* 0469 *
* 2002 $(1,000,000) 2.0 *
* 2003 (2,000,000) 3.0 *
* 2004 (4,500,000) 3.0 *
* 2005 (4,500,000) 3.0 *
* 2006 (4,500,000) 3.0 *
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Fiscal Analysis
The bill would establish an automated information and notification system
for crime victims administered by the victim services office of the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). Funding for the program
would come from the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund. The system
would provide a toll-free number for a person to call for information
regarding (a) whether an offender has been released, transferred, or has
escaped from custody; (b) the location of an offender who has been
transferred; and (c) scheduled public court proceedings and dispositions
related to a criminal offense. Additionally, the victim or any concerned
individual would be notified by telephone, facsimile, electronic mail,
letter, or any other reasonable means when there is a change in the
custody status of the offender or the schedule of a public court
proceeding related to the offense.
A county would be allowed to participate in the program by receiving
computer equipment from the victim services office of TDCJ and providing
information to the victim services office. The victim services office
would also be responsible for establishing a service for monitoring the
information and notification systems, establishing a project management
team to implement the system, creating a secure internet site to view
offender information and register victims, and providing training or
support materials on services provided by the program.
Methodology
While the proposed program would be run by TDCJ, the cost estimates were
developed by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) based on a pilot
project conducted by the Crime Victims' Institute. The OAG estimates
that implementing the system would cost $1,000,000 in the first year and
increase to $4,500,000 in the third year after the system has been
extended throughout the state. Costs for implementing the bill include
expenses for data interfaces with local law enforcement agencies, yearly
maintenance and administrative costs. It is assumed that all 254
counties will participate with no local cost sharing. The OAG's
estimates were calculated using the individual county interface and
maintenance costs associated with the pilot study. The OAG projects
that 2 program administrators and 1 administrative technician would be
needed to implement and run the program. Personnel and related costs,
including public awareness campaigns, are estimated at $265,000 in
fiscal year 2002, increasing to $450,000 once the program is fully
implemented in fiscal year 2004. There will also be costs associated
with contracting with a third party vendor to establish, maintain and
monitor the victim information and notification system. Vendor costs
are estimated at $735,000 in fiscal year 2002, increasing to $4,050,000
in fiscal year 2004.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
Source Agencies:
LBB Staff: JK, JC, VS