LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
March 29, 2001
TO: Honorable Bob Turner, Chair, House Committee on Public
Safety
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB3408 by King, Tracy (Relating to authorizing certain
juvenile probation officers to carry firearms.), As
Introduced
**************************************************************************
* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB3408, As Introduced: positive impact of $9,600 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. *
**************************************************************************
All Funds, Six-Year Impact:
**************************************************************************
*Fiscal Probable Revenue Probable Change in Number of *
* Year Gain/(Loss) from Savings/(Cost) from State Employees from *
* General Revenue Fund Law Enforcement FY 2001 *
* 0001 Officer Standards *
* and Education *
* Account/ *
* GR-Dedicated *
* 0116 *
* 2002 $4,800 $(151,307) 3.0 *
* 2003 4,800 (145,307) 3.0 *
* 2004 4,800 (145,307) 3.0 *
* 2005 4,800 (148,307) 3.0 *
* 2006 4,800 (145,307) 3.0 *
**************************************************************************
**************************************************************************
*Fiscal Probable Revenue Probable Change in Number of *
* Year Gain/(Loss) from Savings/(Cost) from State Employees from *
* General Revenue Fund Law Enforcement FY 2000 *
* 0001 Officer Standards *
* and Education *
* Account/ *
* GR-Dedicated *
* 0116 *
* 2001 $800 $(30,218) 3.0 *
* 2002 4,800 (145,307) 3.0 *
* 2003 4,800 (145,307) 3.0 *
* 2004 4,800 (148,307) 3.0 *
* 2005 4,800 (145,307) 3.0 *
* 2006 4,800 (145,307) 3.0 *
**************************************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would allow juvenile probation officers to carry a firearm in
the course of official duties. The bill would require the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE)
to develop a basic training program in the use of firearms by juvenile
probation officers and issue certificates of firearm proficiency to each
juvenile probation officer that successfully completes the program. The
bill would authorize TCLEOSE to establish reasonable and necessary fees
for the administration of the program.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives two-thirds of the
votes of all members elected to each house, otherwise it would take
effect September 1, 2001.
Methodology
TCLEOSE estimates that implementing the bill would require 4,000 hours of
staff time each fiscal year necessitating the addition of an additional
two personnel to develop the training curricula, establish standards, and
oversee training. An additional administrative technician position
would be required to review applications, maintain records, and issue
certificates. Total salary costs each year are estimated to be $100,596
with associated benefits of $28,449. Other costs related to the
operation of this program including rent, travel, utilities, and
consumables are estimated to be $16,262 each fiscal year. The purchase
of computer equipment would cost $6,000 during fiscal year 2002 and
$3,000 during fiscal year 2005 as the agency cycles out some of the older
hardware with newer hardware.
The bill allows TCLEOSE to establish a reasonable and necessary fee for
the administration of this program. In its cost estimate for the bill,
TCLEOSE indicates that it would establish a fee of $20. The agency
estimates that ten percent of the 2,400 juvenile probation officers would
enter the program in each year resulting in an annual revenue gain of
$4,800 deposited to General Revenue.
The second table estimates the fiscal impact if the bill were to take
effect immediately. The methodology used for the second table is to
prorate the first year's estimated fiscal impact from a full year to two
months with the exception of the cost of the computer equipment, which
is shown in full in fiscal year 2001 and removed from the costs of
fiscal year 2002.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
Source Agencies: 407 Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards
and Education, 665 Texas Juvenile Probation
Commission
LBB Staff: JK, JC, JN, DG