LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                              April 10, 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), Committee Report 1st House, as amended
  
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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 public or
private vendor 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 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.
  
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
vendor 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 a public or private vendor for conducting the
collections.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, DB, TB