LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 21, 2003

TO:	Honorable Terry Keel, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2430 by Krusee (Relating to the authority of a county or municipality to contract for case resolution services in criminal cases and in certain cases involving the parking or stopping of a motor vehicle.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to authorize a county commissioners court or a governing body of a municipality to contract for case resolution services in criminal cases and in certain cases involving the parking or stopping of a motor vehicle. The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2003 and would apply only to a debt incurred as a result of the commission of a criminal or civil offense committed on or after that date.

The revenues from the specified fines, fees, and court costs would be deposited with the local entities and into certain state funds; therefore, the state and local governments would realize a positive fiscal impact if provisions of the bill were to be implemented. The amounts would vary by municipality and county, and therefore, too, for the state.

As an example, the City of Houston estimates that the bill would generate approximately $1 million per year for the city. The City of Amarillo estimates that they could collect approximately $750,000 the first year and approximately $200,000 each year thereafter. The City of Mesquite anticipates it would experience $40,000 per year in additional revenues, and the City of Plainview projected an annual increase of $14,240 in revenues. The City of Kilgore and Dallas County both stated that the bill would have a positive effect on their budgets.

Travis County does not contract with an outside vendor, nor does it take additional collection actions on unpaid fines and fees other than probation revocations; therefore, the bill would not have a fiscal impact on Travis County. El Paso County reports that the county already has a collections department in place; therefore, there would be no fiscal impact on El Paso County either.

Local Government Impact

Municipalities and counties would experience a positive fiscal impact that would vary by location based on the number of applicable cases and level of collections currently experienced.

Source Agencies:	212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:	JK, WK, DLBa