LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 6, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Royce West, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Jurisprudence
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB1778  by Lucio (Relating to the collection of costs in
               criminal cases.), As Introduced
  
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*  No 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 private
attorney to collect outstanding fines, fees, restitution, and other
court-ordered debts or costs to add 30 percent on each debt or account
receivable that is more than 60 days past due and has been referred to
the attorney 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.
  
Local Government Impact
  
The provisions of the bill would result in additional revenue to the
county or municipality that would help recover part of the costs of
attorney's 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, TB, DB