Honorable Byron Cook, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB62 by Huffines (Relating to accounting for costs incurred by this state as a result of the presence of persons who are not lawfully present in the United States.), As Engrossed
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB62, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($350,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2016
($350,000)
2017
$0
2018
($350,000)
2019
$0
2020
($350,000)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2016
($350,000)
2017
$0
2018
($350,000)
2019
$0
2020
($350,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Government Code to require the Comptroller of Public Accounts, prior to each legislative session, to estimate costs incurred by the state as a result of the presence of persons who are not lawfully present in the U.S. The estimate would include at minimum an estimate of the financial costs related to education, health care, and incarceration. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2015.
Methodology
The Comptroller of Public Accounts estimates there would be a cost of $350,000 associated with producing the estimate. This administrative cost estimate reflects the funds that would be necessary to hire contract staff to gather comprehensive data and prepare an analysis of the financial costs resulting from the presence in Texas of people who are not lawfully present in the United States. Cost categories must include education, health care, and incarceration. Based on the agency's previous experience publishing a 2006 immigration report, the agency found that the data was challenging to find and sometimes difficult to obtain due to privacy and public information laws.
The Office of the Attorney General estimates that costs associated with the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.