| TO: | Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB638 by Hughes (Relating to the issuance of identification cards to certain retired peace officers and to the eligibility of certain retired peace officers to obtain a weapons proficiency certificate.), As Engrossed |
The bill would add Subchapter H to Chapter 614, Government Code, to require a law enforcement agency or other governmental entity that was the last entity to appoint or employ an honorably retired peace officer to issue an identification card to those honorably retired peace officers. The bill stipulates what information must be included on the ID card. The bill also includes procedures for if an ID card is lost or stolen.
Each law enforcement agency or other governmental entity required to issue an identification card must issue the cards by not later than January 1, 2008. The bill would take effect September 1, 2007.
It is assumed that state agencies that employ peace officers would be able to implement provisions of the bill utilizing existing resources.
The fiscal impact would vary by entity, depending on the number of peace officers employed or retired from the agency.
The Houston Police Department, with approximately 4,900 active and 6,900 retired officers, estimates additional costs of $72,235 for supplies for issuing new identification cards and $156,751 in costs of having officers take time from normal duties to have their photos and thumbprints taken, for a total cost of $228,986 each card cycle.
The Abilene Police Department would have to replace 180 ID cards, at a cost of $2,340. The department already has an electronic card printing system and would only have to modify their card template, purchase equipment to take electronic thumbprints, and re-issue cards.
The Travis County Sheriff's Office reports that the costs would be insignificant; however, the agency is in the process of phasing in a new ID for sworn staff and would incur additional expenses to redesign their system and cards.
| Source Agencies: | 405 Department of Public Safety
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, ES, DB
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