LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 7, 2003

TO:	Honorable Ray Allen, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2896 by Allen (Relating to the operation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2896, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($4,452,434) 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.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2004	($2,226,217)
2005	($2,226,217)
2006	($2,226,217)
2007	($2,226,217)
2008	($2,226,217)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2003
2004	($2,226,217)	18.0
2005	($2,226,217)	18.0
2006	($2,226,217)	18.0
2007	($2,226,217)	18.0
2008	($2,226,217)	18.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Government Code making the Board of Pardons and Paroles an agency to be reviewed under the Texas Sunset Act in anticipation of legislative action by the 80^th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007.  The bill would require psychological counseling as a condition of parole or mandatory supervision for persons convicted of the offense of stalking.  Finally, the bill would require parole panels to interview inmates before releasing the inmate to parole.  Under current law, the parole panel has the option of having the inmate appear before the panel for an interview. 

 

The bill would take effect September 1, 2003.

Methodology

The fiscal implications of the bill are based solely on the provision that would require parole panels to interview inmates before releasing the inmate to parole.  For fiscal year 2002, eighteen (18) board members interviewed 4,500 inmates out of a total of 65,000 inmates considered for release. Although the bill does not establish additional board members, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice estimates that the Board of Pardons and Paroles would need eighteen (18) additional board members to conduct interviews under the provisions of the bill.  The current yearly salary for board members is $83,200 per year.  Travel expenses for board members related to interviewing inmates are estimated at $302,400 per year.  Benefits are estimated at $426,217 per year. 

 

After five years of cumulative impact, fiscal implications will continue as long as the provisions of the bill are implemented. 

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:	696 Department of Criminal Justice
LBB Staff:	JK, JO, WK, VDS, GG