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