LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 28, 2005

TO:	Honorable Jerry Madden, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1635 by Allen, Ray (Relating to a residential infant care program for mothers confined in Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Government Code to require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to establish a residential infant care and parenting program for mothers confined by the department. The infant care and parenting program would be modeled after the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Mothers and Infants Together program operated under contract in Fort Worth. 

According to a representative from the Mothers and Infants Together program, the cost per day of the program is $64.34 per offender. This amount includes building expenses, counseling services, food, and medical supplies. The program is designed to accommodate eight women and lasts 60 to 90 days.  The current cost per day of TDCJ confinement is $40. Assuming that the TDCJ program would serve eight women and their infants, the estimated cost per year to implement the program at TDCJ would be $71,073 (8 participants X ($64.34 minus $40/day) X 365 = $71,073).

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

696 Department of Criminal Justice

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, VDS, AM