Honorable Allen Fletcher, Chair, House Committee on Emerging Issues In Texas Law Enforcement, Select
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1025 by Dutton (Relating to the approval of law enforcement training materials by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB1025, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2016
$0
2017
$0
2018
$0
2019
$0
2020
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Law Officer Stds & Ed Ac 116
Probable Revenue Gain/(Loss) from Appropriated Receipts 666
2016
($4,290,368)
$0
2017
($1,609,274)
$416,000
2018
($1,609,274)
$416,000
2019
($1,609,274)
$416,000
2020
($1,609,274)
$416,000
Fiscal Year
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2015
2016
60.0
2017
22.0
2018
22.0
2019
22.0
2020
22.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Occupation Code to require the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to establish procedures for the review and approval of law enforcement education materials for use by an education provider by no later than December 1, 2015. The bill would also require providers of law enforcement education, including continuing education, to only use education materials that have been approved by TCOLE. This provision would take effect January 1, 2016.
Methodology
This fiscal note assumes the bill would require the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to review and approve all law enforcement training and course materials.
The agency has indicated that there are currently 1,742 unique law enforcement courses. These unique courses encompass a range of training hours (from 15,177 to 77,478). This fiscal note assumes that the median number of course hours of (46,327.5) would require review and approval by TCOLE in fiscal year 2016. This fiscal note also assumes each training hour would require 2.5 review hours on the part of the agency. As such, the assumed 46,327.5 training hours would require 115,819 review hours on the part of the agency. This fiscal note assumes 41,600 review hours would be required in fiscal year 2017 and beyond to complete reviews of new training materials (16,640 new training hours x 2.5 hour agency review time).
This fiscal note assumes the agency would require 55 Program Specialist I positions to conduct 115,819 hours of review in fiscal year 2016 (115,819 review hours / 2,080 hours per FTE) and 20 Program Specialist I positions in fiscal year 2017 and beyond (41,600 review hours / 2,080 hours per FTE). Assuming a salary of $46,976 per Program Specialist I position, the salary costs total to $2,583,680 in fiscal year 2016 and $939,520 in fiscal year 2017 and beyond.
This fiscal note also assumes 5 Manager I positions (5 x $67,017) would be required in fiscal year 2016 and 2 Manager 1 positions (2 x $67,017) in fiscal year 2017 and beyond.
Benefits costs associated with these positions are estimated to be $988,877 in fiscal year 2016 and $363,720 in fiscal year 2017 and beyond.
Also included in this fiscal note is $148,500 per fiscal year for rent. For fiscal year 2016, $58,500 is included for other operating expenses and $175,725 for one-time equipment costs. For fiscal year 2017 and beyond other operating expenses are assumed to be $23,500 per fiscal year.
Local Government Impact
The bill would require local entities providing law enforcement education to use only those law enforcement education materials that have been approved by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). According to TCOLE, Texas currently has 106 law enforcement training academies; 185 contract training providers; and 5 academic alternative training providers. The requirement to obtain the approval of TCOLE for all law enforcement training materials used by providers before January 1, 2016 presumably could represent a significant, if undetermined, cost to these local providers.