LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 3, 2011

TO:	Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1713 by Whitmire (Relating to the use of the compensation to victims of crime fund to reimburse the reasonable costs of a forensic medical exam for family violence.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1713, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2013.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2012	$0
2013	$0
2014	$0
2015	$0
2016	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from Crime Victims Comp Acct 469
2012	($3,746,729)
2013	($3,746,729)
2014	($3,746,729)
2015	($3,746,729)
2016	($3,746,729)

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to add a new claim for benefits out of Compensation to Victims of Crime Account No. 469 for a forensic medical exam for family violence.

Methodology

The Office of the Attorney General anticipates that approximately 5,303 additional claims would be filed for compensation payments related to forensic medical exams for family violence at a cost of approximately $700 per claim. Therefore, the total cost for additional claim payments would be $3,712,100 out of the General Revenue Dedicated-Compensation to Victims of Crime Account No. 469 each fiscal year.

 

In addition, the OAG currently has a cost containment contract with a vendor to review medical bills submitted for victim claim payments to ensure that each claim is paid at the appropriate amount. Each claim payment reviewed by the vendor costs $6.53. Therefore, the additional medical claims reviewed by the vendor would cost $34,629 per fiscal year.

 

It is anticipated that any additional staffing costs associated with implementation of the legislation could be absorbed within existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts

LBB Staff:

JOB, ESi, MS, JM