LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                               May 24, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Bill Ratliff, Lieutenant Governor,  Senate
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB1778  by Lucio (relating to the collection of costs in
               criminal cases.), As Passed 2nd House
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would authorize a county commissioners court and a governing
body of a municipality that enter into a contract with a public or
private vendor to collect outstanding fines, fees, restitution, and other
court-ordered debts or costs, other than forfeited bonds, to add 30
percent on each debt or account receivable that is more than 60 days past
due and has been referred to the public or private vendor for collection
unless the defendant is found to be indigent, have insufficient
resources or income, or is unable to pay all or part of the underlying
fine or costs.

If the private attorney or vendor were to collect from a person owing
court-ordered costs an amount that is less than the person owes,
including the allowed collection costs, the amount required to be sent
to the Comptroller of Public Accounts and the amount the county or
governing body may retain would be reduced by an equal percentage in
order to fully compensate the attorney or vendor in accordance with the
contract.
  
Local Government Impact
  
The provisions of the bill would result in additional revenue to the
county or municipality, which would help recover part of the costs of
attorneys' and vendors' fees for providing collection services. The
fiscal impact would vary by political subdivision based on successful
collection rates, amounts of debts outstanding for more than 60 days,
and costs for contracting with an attorney for conducting the
collections.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, JC, DB