LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 14, 2003

TO:
Honorable Joe Driver, Chair, House Committee on Law Enforcement
 
FROM:
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB2829 by Luna (Relating to supplemental pay for ceretain Department of Public Safety officers who are proficient in a second language. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2829, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($2,094,220) through the biennium ending August 31, 2005.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2004 ($1,047,110)
2005 ($1,047,110)
2006 ($1,047,110)
2007 ($1,047,110)
2008 ($1,047,110)




Fiscal Year Probable (Cost) from
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
1
2004 ($1,047,110)
2005 ($1,047,110)
2006 ($1,047,110)
2007 ($1,047,110)
2008 ($1,047,110)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Government Code as it relates to supplemental pay for Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers who are proficient in a second language.  The bill would allow DPS to supplement pay ($100 per month) for officers who speak a second language and the second language is beneficial to protecting public safety.  The bill would require that the officer be able to demonstrate proficiency in the second language through reading, writing, and conversation skills. 

Methodology

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) reports that 486 officers listed Spanish as a second language in their original application.  DPS estimates that the list of officers would decrease by 30% depending on the difficulty of proficiency testing.  Assuming that only 50% would actually be assigned to areas where the language is predominantly spoken, estimated annual costs would equal $204,000 (486 officers x 70% proficiency x 50% stationed in area where predominantly spoken x $100 per month x 12 months per year).  Additional benefit costs are estimated at $24,480 per year.


Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
LBB Staff:
JK, WP, JO, WK, VDS, AR