LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 22, 2009

TO:
Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB3594 by McReynolds (Relating to the preservation of evidence that contains biological material. ), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted



Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3594, Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.



Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010 $0
2011 $0
2012 $0
2013 $0
2014 $0




Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
State Highway Fund
6 		Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010 ($282,583) 2.0
2011 ($266,982) 2.0
2012 ($273,882) 2.0
2013 ($277,695) 2.0
2014 ($273,882) 2.0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Government Code and Code of Criminal Procedure requiring a state attorney, clerk, or other officer in a county with a population less than 100,000 who is in possession of evidence used in the conviction of a crime with a sentence of ten years or more of imprisonment under Chapter 19 (homicide), Chapter 21 (sexual offenses) or Chapter 22 (Assaultive Offenses) to deliver biological evidence to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for storage. The bill would also require DPS to maintain a storage space for the preservation of the biological evidence delivered to the agency. DPS is also required to adopt rules regarding the delivery, cataloging and preservation of evidence stored. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2009.


Methodology

DPS states a 5,625 square foot building would need to be rented to accommodate the bill's evidence storage requirement. This analysis assumes a cost of $174,319 per year for this purpose. DPS also states they would need two additional employees (Crime Lab Evidence Techs) to handle the receipt, storage, and return or disposal of the evidence, record keeping, and inventory of county evidence. 


Technology

The technology costs for fiscal years 2010-2014 include computers, printers, and enterprise agreements for the employees.


Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety
LBB Staff:
JOB, ESi, GG, LG