| TO: | Honorable Ray Allen, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2626 by Smith, Wayne (Relating to the penalties and fees imposed by municipalities and counties in relation to certain false alarms.), As Introduced |
The bill would repeal the restriction that a county cannot impose a penalty or fee for the signaling of a false alarm by an alarm system unless there have been five previous false alarms occurring in the previous 12-month period. A county would be authorized to file a civil action to recover a penalty or fee imposed by the county for a false alarm. A county or a municipality would be authorized to enter into a contract with a private attorney or a public or private vendor for the provision of collection services to collect fees and penalties imposed for false alarms.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives the required two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2005. The bill would apply only to a penalty or fee imposed for a false alarm that occurs on or after the effective date.
By allowing a county to impose a penalty or fee regardless of the number of previous false alarms would help offset costs of responding to false alarms. By allowing a county or a municipality to sue or to contract for services to collect fees and penalties would likely increase the revenue collected for offsetting costs. The positive fiscal impact would vary by local government.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
| Source Agencies: |
| LBB Staff: | JOB, DLBa
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