LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session April 11, 2001 TO: Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB1247 by Gallegos (Relating to the use of excess money in the compensation to victims of crime fund for public hospitals and hospital districts that provide victim-related services or assistance.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * SB1247, 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 $(31,800,000) * * 2003 (31,800,000) * * 2004 (31,800,000) * * 2005 (31,800,000) * * 2006 (31,800,000) * ***************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would amend the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure governing use of the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund (CVC Fund). The bill would allow the OAG to use the CVC Fund for grants for victim-related services or assistance provided by public hospitals or hospital districts. If the amount of money deposited into the CVC Fund by a county that has a public hospital or hospital district that provides victim-related services or assistance exceeds the amount of money paid from the fund during that fiscal year to victims located in the county, the OAG shall distribute the excess amount to the public hospital or hospital district in the county for use in providing victim-related services or assistance. Methodology The OAG estimates that the cost of providing the grants would average $31.8 million each year, distributed among 238 counties. This estimate was based on the average excess amount contributed by counties over the previous three years. The OAG, using information from the Texas Hospital Association, determined that there is public hospital or hospital district in every county in the state. For fiscal year 2000, only 16 of the state's 254 counties received more in CVC payments to victims than was paid in revenue. Local Government Impact The counties receiving the payments of excess CVC Fund revenues would experience a revenue gain of $31.8 million each year. Based on fiscal year 2000 data on CVC Fund revenues and expenditures, the funds would be distributed to 238 of the state's 254 counties. Source Agencies: 302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts LBB Staff: JK, JC, SC