Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1522 by Hegar (Relating to the responsibility of the county to hold certain persons in county jail before a return or transfer of the person to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code to require the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to accept paper-ready inmates convicted of felonies within 40 days. Current statute requires TDCJ to accept paper-ready inmates within 45 days of notification by a county. The bill also reduces the time Board of Pardons and Paroles (BPP) is given to dispose of alleged parole violations from 41 to 36 days. The bill would also allow a magistrate to set bail for certain parole violators charged with only an administrative violation as long as the BPP provides the magistrate written approval.
No significant fiscal impact is anticipated from reducing the time to pick up paper ready inmates from 45 to 40 days. No significant fiscal impact is anticipated from reducing the time BPP is given to dispose of alleged parole violations from 41 to 36 days because, according to BPP data, for the first five months of fiscal year 2013 the average time to process these cases was 31 days. BPP estimates there would be costs associated with providing a magistrate written approval for all bond considerations specified under the bill. However, it is assumed that these costs can be absorbed by BPP.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
409 Commission on Jail Standards, 644 Texas Juvenile Justice Department, 696 Department of Criminal Justice, 697 Board of Pardons and Paroles