| TO: | Honorable Abel Herrero, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB3727 by Raymond (Relating to the fees collected by prosecutors for collection and processing of certain checks or similar sight orders; authorizing an increase in fees.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to authorize an increase in fees a prosecutor can collect for processing certain checks or similar sight orders. Under current law, prosecuting attorneys may collect a fee from persons convicted of passing hot checks. The amount of the fee varies depending on the amount of the hot check; the higher the amount of the check, the higher the fee.
The Office of Court Administration reported no significant fiscal impact to the state associated with the bill.
The revenue from fees collected remains in the county and is expended at the discretion of the prosecutor to defray the salaries and expenses of the prosecutor's office.
The Comptroller of Public Accounts surveyed the counties of Bell, Webb, and Caldwell to determine probable fiscal impact to local governments.
Bell County estimated an increase in revenue of $7,133 in fiscal year 2013 and $85,595 each fiscal year thereafter.
Webb County estimated an increase in revenue of $3,301 in fiscal year 2013, $39,615 each fiscal year thereafter, and an estimated one-time technology expense of $3,000 for implementing the fee change.
Caldwell County estimated a positive fiscal impact but was not able to estimate an increase of revenue.
| Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
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| LBB Staff: | UP, ESi, KKR
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