LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
April 9, 2001
TO: Honorable Juan Hinojosa, Chair, House Committee on
Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB3505 by Maxey (Relating to the authority of the
attorney general to establish an information and
notification system for crime victims funded by the
compensation to victims of crime fund.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB3505, 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. *
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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:
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*Fiscal Probable Savings/(Cost) from Change in Number of State *
* Year Compensation to Victims of Employees from FY 2001 *
* Crime Account/ GR-Dedicated *
* 0469 *
* 2002 $(1,000,000) 2.0 *
* 2003 (2,000,000) 3.0 *
* 2004 (4,500,000) 3.0 *
* 2005 (4,500,000) 3.0 *
* 2006 (4,500,000) 3.0 *
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Fiscal Analysis
This bill establishes an information and notification system for crime
victims administered by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and
funded from the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund (CVC Fund). This
system would provide a toll-free number for a person to call for
information regarding (a) whether an offender has been released,
transferred, or has escaped from custody; (b) the location of an offender
who has been transferred; and (c) any information reported to the OAG
regarding public court proceedings related to a criminal offense.
Additionally, the victim could be notified by telephone, facsimile,
electronic mail, letter, or any other reasonable means when there is a
change in the custody status of the offender or the schedule of a public
court proceeding related to the offense.
The OAG estimates that implementing the system would cost $1,000,000 in
the first year and increase to $4,500,000 in the third year after the
system has been extended throughout the state.
Methodology
Costs estimated by the OAG for implementing the provisions of HB 3505
include expenses for data interfaces with local law enforcement
agencies, yearly maintenance and administrative costs. It is assumed
that all 254 counties will participate with no local cost sharing. The
OAG's Crime Victims' Institute has conducted a pilot program study that
complies with the requirements of this bill. The OAG's estimates for
this fiscal note were calculated using the individual county interface
and maintenance costs associated with the pilot study. The OAG projects
that 2 program administrators and 1 administrative technician will be
needed to implement and run the program. Personnel and related costs,
including public awareness campaigns, are estimated at $265,000 in
fiscal year, increasing to $450,000 once the program is fully
implemented in fiscal year 2004. There will also be costs associated
with contracting with a third party vendor to establish, maintain and
monitor the victim information and notification system. Vendor costs
are estimated at $735,000 in fiscal year 2002, increasing to $4,050,000
in fiscal year 2004.
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