LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 27, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Juan Hinojosa, Chair, House Committee on
               Criminal Jurisprudence
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB2607  by Alexander (Relating to the imposition of a fee
               for collecting a delinquent fine, court cost, or
               court-ordered attorney's fee.), As Introduced
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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The bill would allow a county attorney, district attorney, or criminal
district attorney to impose a fee when their office collects on
delinquent fines, court costs or court-ordered attorney's fees that have
not been paid within a certain period.  The additional fees would range
from $10 to $75 depending on the amount of the collection.

The fees collected would be deposited with the county treasurer in a
special fund to be administered by the county attorney, district
attorney, or criminal district attorney.  The fund could be used only to
defray the salaries and expenses of the prosecutor's office and could not
be used to supplement the salaries of those charged to administer the
fund.
 
The bill would take effect September 1, 2001.
  
Local Government Impact
  
Under current law, county attorneys, district attorneys and criminal
district attorneys are not allowed to collect fees on fines, court costs
or court-ordered attorney fees.

The Tom Green County Attorney reported there would be no impact to the
county since all their collections are handled through their Collections
Department.  Their office only handles collections from hot checks.

The Henderson County Attorney's Office reported a positive impact of
approximately $140,000 over a 12-month period.  Their estimate is based
on the $200,000 in uncollected court costs, fees, and fines that are
turned over to their office each year from the county court at law.  The
estimate is also based on their 60-80 percent collection rate on hot
checks.

The Coryell County Attorney indicated they might raise between $1,500 and
$2,000.

There would be a positive fiscal impact to counties.  The impact would
vary by county depending on population and where the collection
responsibility is assigned.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, JC, DB