LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 8, 2003

TO:	Honorable Robert Duncan, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB424 by Staples (Relating to assessment of a fee for the collection of delinquent fines and court costs by a county attorney, district attorney, or criminal district attorney.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow a county attorney, district attorney, or criminal district attorney to collect a fee for delinquent fines or court costs in cases assigned for prosecution to the attorney. The bill would not have a significant fiscal impact on state government.

Local Government Impact

The bill would allow county attorneys, district attorneys and criminal district attorneys to charge a fee ranging from $10 to $75 to collect delinquent fines or court costs from a defendant or any person who is a party to an offense.

 

The Harris County Attorney's Office had 2,724 delinquent cases in 2002. Based on those figures, at the minimum collection fee of $10, Harris County could experience an increase in revenues of $27,240. The Brazos County Attorney's Office has about 40 delinquent cases each month. Using the minimum $10 collection fee, Brazos County could realize an annual increase in revenues of $4,800. Henderson's County Attorney's Office, with about 100 delinquent cases each month, would see an increase of $12,000 in revenues if they charged the minimum $10 collection fee.

 

Counties could experience an increase in revenues for charging a collection fee on delinquent fines and court costs, although the fiscal impact would vary because the number of delinquent fines and court costs vary from county to county.

Source Agencies:	304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 696 Department of Criminal Justice
LBB Staff:	JK, GO, VDS, AB, KG