LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 18, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Tom Ramsay, Chair, House Committee on County
               Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB3443  by Gallego (Relating to the authority of a
               sheriff to provide law enforcement officers and equipment
               to assist another county.), Committee Report 1st House,
               as amended
  
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*  No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.                    *
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Local Government Impact
  
The bill would authorize a sheriff's department in a county to provide
assistance to another county upon request in the event of a civil
emergency.  The requesting county would be responsible for any civil
liability that may arise from the services provided by the assisting
county.

Sheriff's departments in Brazos and Dallas counties and the Combined Law
Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT) were contacted regarding the
fiscal impact of the provisions of the bill on local government.
Representatives contacted indicated that in the event of a civil
emergency, there would be a significant negative impact on the county
requesting assistance, whether obtaining outside assistance or not,
although assuming liability would add to that cost.  The responding
county would incur additional expenses of having to pay their officers
overtime to assist the requesting county, but would benefit fiscally
from not having to incur liability.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, DB