81(R) SB 446 - House Committee Report version

TO:	Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence

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

IN RE:	SB446 by Wentworth (Relating to the use of certain court costs in a criminal case for municipal programs enhancing public safety and security.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

The bill would amend Article 102.014(g), Code of Criminal Procedure, to authorize additional uses of certain funds collected in a municipal court case in a municipality with a population less than 850,000.

Currently the applicable court costs collected must be used for a school crossing guard program, and any money remaining after costs for the program may be deposited into an interest-bearing account or expended for programs to enhance child safety, health, or nutrition, including child abuse prevention and intervention and drug and alcohol abuse prevention. Under provisions of the bill, additional funds from those court costs could also be used for programs designed to enhance public safety and security.

The bill would amend Section 502.173(g), Transportation Code, to conform to the proposed change to Article 102.014(g), Code of Criminal Procedure, regarding deposits into the child safety trust fund by a municipality with a population of less than 850,000.

If an affected municipality already operates programs designed to enhance public safety and security and would have access to additional money from the court costs collected to use for the safety programs, the municipality would experience a savings by having an additional revenue source to pay for part or all program expenses. Otherwise, because there would be no new revenues generated, rather expanded uses for existing revenues, there would be no fiscal impact.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


February 26, 2009