LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session March 13, 2001 TO: Honorable Irma Rangel, Chair, House Committee on Higher Education FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB2145 by Ellis, Dan (Relating to a fee imposed on persons convicted of an offense to support the Correctional Management Institute of Texas and the Criminal Justice Center at Sam Houston State University and to fund scholarships for state correctional officers.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB2145, 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 Probable Revenue Probable Change in Number of * * Year Gain/(Loss) from New Savings/(Cost) from State Employees from * * General Revenue New General Revenue FY 2001 * * Dedicated Account Dedicated Account * * Correctional Correctional * * Management Institute Management Institute * * of Texas and of Texas and * * Criminal Justice Criminal Justice * * Center Center * * 2002 $4,161,000 $(2,943,627) 21.5 * * 2003 6,136,000 (2,943,627) 21.5 * * 2004 6,788,000 (2,943,627) 21.5 * * 2005 7,508,000 (2,943,627) 21.5 * * 2006 8,300,000 (2,943,627) 21.5 * ************************************************************************** Technology Impact The Institute would develop integrated databases to serve the courts, corrections, and law enforcement. A program similar to "Fuginet" which was developed for parolees, is envisioned for fugitives. In addition, the Institute would assist institutional and community corrections agencies in developing distance learning capabilities and would deliver training and academic education to agency personnel via satellite and the Internet. Finally, the Institute will provide technical assistance to correctional agencies in expanding their use of technology in the delivery of services. Fiscal Analysis The bill creates a designated fund to support the Correctional Management Institute of Texas (CMIT) and the Criminal Justice Center at Sam Houston State University to provide: (1) professional development training to institutional and community corrections personnel from both the adult and juvenile disciplines throughout the State of Texas; (2) evaluation research and technical assistance to adult and juvenile correctional agencies; and, (3) scholarships for correctional officers. The bill amends the Code of Criminal Procedure by adding a new provision to impose an additional $1 court cost on persons convicted of a criminal offense. The bill amends the Education Code to create a new account, "Correctional Management Institute of Texas and Criminal Justice Center," assumed to be GR-Dedicated. The account would consist of revenue generated by the new court cost. The account would be administered by the president of Sam Houston State University for the Correctional Management Institute of Texas and Criminal Justice Center and to provide scholarships awarded by the institute. Each year, the president of Sam Houston State University would be required to reserve 3.5 percent of the amount credited to the account on January 1 for scholarships for state correctional officers. The bill imposes a fee of $1 on each person convicted of a criminal offense, including traffic but excluding pedestrian and parking tickets. Money collected will be deposited to a dedicated account with the Comptroller. It is to be appropriated and used by the President of Sam Houston State University for the Correctional Management Institute of Texas and the Criminal Justice Center, except for 3.5 percent of receipts, which would be used to fund scholarships. Methodology The income to the new Correctional Management Institute of Texas and Criminal Justice Center Fund is projected based on the annual amount the Comptroller estimates will be collected based on a similar fee assessed for the same offenses in the Code of Criminal Procedure. Operational costs cost were estimated by the Correctional Management Institute of Texas and the Criminal Justice Center at Sam Houston State University. Local Government Impact There would be additional revenue to local governments, authorized to retain a 10% service fee. Source Agencies: 781 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 753 Sam Houston State University, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK, CT, DB, DC