80(R) HB 3858 - Introduced version

TO:	Honorable Aaron Pena, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence

FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	HB3858 by Gonzalez Toureilles (Relating to a fee for the collection of fees, fines or other court costs.), As Introduced

The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 102, Subchapter C to allow offices and officers of a county or municipality currently authorized to collect money under the Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 103.003 to assess a fee for the collection of fines, fees, and restitution. This optional fee may only be assessed with approval of the commissioners court of a county or governing body of a municipality and may not exceed $50.

Analysis by the Office of Court Administration assumes the bill would have a positive fiscal impact on local revenues because it would provide an incentive to counties and municipalities by providing a vehicle to recover the cost of collecting local court costs and fees. This incentive may be attractive to smaller and medium-sized counties and municipalities that may not have the resources to develop effective in-house programs or sufficient volume to attract a private collection vendor. The fiscal impact to specific local governments would vary depending on the amount of the fee established by each.

The Legislative Budget Board contacted several counties. As an example of potential revenue gains, assuming assessing the maximum $50 fee, Dallas County estimates implementing the provisions of the bill would result in an annual revenue gain of $610,000. Bexar County Collections Division estimates the fee would result in an annual revenue gain of approximately $600,000, not including fees collected through the county sheriff's office and the community supervision and corrections department. Fort Bend County estimates an annual revenue gain of $202,500 by imposing a $50 fee.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


April 10, 2007