LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
March 27, 2001
TO: Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair, Senate Committee on
Criminal Justice
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: SB169 by Zaffirini (Relating to the compensation to
victims of sexual assault for relocation and housing
rental expenses.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* SB169, 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 Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from *
* Compensation to Victims of Crime *
* Account/ GR-Dedicated *
* 0469 *
* 2002 $(347,344) *
* 2003 (404,809) *
* 2004 (404,809) *
* 2005 (404,809) *
* 2006 (404,809) *
*****************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The legislation amends the statutes governing the crime victims
compensation program to make victims of sexual assault eligible for
reimbursement for relocation and housing rental expenses. Victims
eligible under these provisions may receive a one-time assistance
payment of no more than $2,000 for relocation expenses and $1,800 for
housing rental expenses. Under current statutory provisions, only
victims of domestic violence, which may include sexual assault, are
eligible for such benefits. This legislation is effective September 1,
2001 and applies only to a victim of a criminal offense that occurs on
after the effective date.
Methodology
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) projects that the number of
claims filed by victims of sexual assault and on behalf of victims of
child sexual assault will be 5,436 in fiscal year 2002, and increase to
6,345 the next year as awareness of the compensation program increases.
The OAG then estimates that 5% of the claimants would decide to relocate
and request reimbursement, resulting in 272 additional claims in fiscal
year 2002 and 317 additional claims in fiscal year 2003 and afterwards.
In fiscal year 2000, the OAG paid an average of $1,277 per claim on
domestic violence relocation claims. Using that per claim average, an
additional $347,344 would be paid out in fiscal year 2002, increasing to
$404,809 in subsequent years.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies: 302 Office of the Attorney General
LBB Staff: JK, JC, SC