| TO: | Honorable Terry Keel, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2791 by Hodge (Relating to the use of substance abuse treatment facilities for individuals referred for treatment as part of a drug court or similar program.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Government Code to require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to treat individuals referred by drug court programs in Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facilities (SAFPF), and would allow the Board of Criminal Justice to modify the SAFPF program to treat individuals not on community supervision.
Nine Texas counties operate drug courts. The cost-per-day for a SAFPF placement during fiscal year 2004 was $47.66, or approximately $8,579 for a defendant to complete the six-month program. This fiscal analysis assumes that any increase in SAFPF placements would be handled by current SAFPF facilities. The current waiting period for SAFPF placement is at least 12 weeks. To the extent that drug court judges choose to use SAFPF placements, the waiting period for bed openings would increase.
The bill would take effect immediately if receiving a vote of two-thirds of all members of each house, or September 1, 2005.
| Source Agencies: | 537 Department of State Health Services, 696 Department of Criminal Justice
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KJG, VDS, AM
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