Honorable Ray Allen, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3266 by Straus (Relating to the reimbursement by certain defendants for the cost of confinement in county jail.), As Introduced
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require a trial judge to impose as a condition of permitting a defendant to serve a sentence or period of confinement intermittently that the defendant reimburse the county for the cost of the defendant's confinement based on the average daily cost of confining defendants in the county jail as determined by the commissioners court. The bill would take effect September 1, 2005 and would apply only to a defendant who is sentenced on or after that date.
Local Government Impact
According to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, statewide the average cost per person per day confined in a county jail is $36. The cost varies by county and therefore the savings experienced as a result of implementation of the provisions of the bill would vary by county.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.