LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
April 17, 2001
TO: Honorable Juan Hinojosa, Chair, House Committee on
Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB2085 by Gallego (Relating to the limits on
compensation paid by the state to certain victims of
crime.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB2085, 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 $(9,480,000) *
* 2003 (13,320,000) *
* 2004 (15,450,000) *
* 2005 (16,930,000) *
* 2006 (19,970,000) *
*****************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill amends the provisions in the Code of Criminal Procedure relating
to the Crime Victims Compensation program by raising the limits on
compensation payments. Currently, payments are limited to a maximum of
$50,000, plus another $50,000 for catastrophic claims, for a total
combined maximum of $100,000. The bill would increase each of those
limits to $75,000, resulting in a total combined maximum of $150,000.
This bill takes effect September 1, 2001 and applies only to a claim for
compensation on an offense or violation that occurs on or after the
effective date.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) estimates the cost of
implementing the provisions of this bill would total $9.48 million in
fiscal year 2002 and increase to $19.97 million in fiscal year 2006,
paid from the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund.
Methodology
The anticipated increase in payments for non-catastrophic claims is based
on the payment increases experienced since fiscal year 1998, the last
time the payment limits were increased, which ranged from 10% to 15% a
year. For non-catastrophic claims, the estimated increase in payments
ranges from $8.25 million in fiscal year 2002 to $18.47 million in
fiscal year 2006. The estimated increase in payments resulting from the
higher limit in catastrophic claims is estimated to be $1.22 million in
fiscal year 2002, increasing to $1.50 million in fiscal year 2006. This
estimate is based on the projected number of catastrophic claims that
exceed the current limits.
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
LBB Staff: JK, JC, SC