LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 17, 2009

TO:	Honorable Jim McReynolds, Chair, House Committee on Corrections
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB4606 by Guillen (Relating to regulation contracts for operation of jails or correctional facilities.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4606, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($57,856) through the biennium ending August 31, 2011.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2010	($28,928)
2011	($28,928)
2012	($28,928)
2013	($28,928)
2014	($28,928)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1	Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2009
2010	($28,928)	0.5
2011	($28,928)	0.5
2012	($28,928)	0.5
2013	($28,928)	0.5
2014	($28,928)	0.5

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend Government Code, Section 511.0094, to include county or municipality contracts to house or begin to house only federal prisoners under the purview of the requirements of Chapter 511 of the Government Code.  Under current statute, a county correctional facility operated as described is excluded from those requirements.  The proposed change in statute would add additional jails to the Texas Commission on Jail Standard’s (TCJS) purview.

Methodology

The TCJS estimates the added jails will result in the need for one additional FTE with an expenditure of $58,500 to cover costs, equipment, and salary per year. Chapter 511.0091 of the Government Code allows the Commission on Jail Standards to set and collect reasonable fees to cover costs associated with certain duties related to facility inspections.  The facilities that the Commission would inspect under the bill would fall under the provisions of Chapter 511.0091.   Based on currently known facilities in the state and their bed capacity, the TCJS estimates the annual fees assessed may total up to $25,000.  The costs associated with the additional FTE may be reduced by assessing inspection fees on certain jails that would fall under the provision of the bill.

 

Based on currently known facilities in the state and their bed capacity, the annual fees assessed may total $25,000 thus reducing the cost of the FTE to $23,500 plus $5,428 in benefits equaling $28,928.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

409 Commission on Jail Standards

LBB Staff:

JOB, ESi, GG, MC