LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 84TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 16, 2015

TO:	Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB662 by Rodríguez (Relating to the representation of certain indigent applicants for a writ of habeas corpus), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to require a court to appoint counsel to represent an applicant for habeas corpus relief when the state agrees to relief on the grounds that the defendant is not guilty, guilty of a lesser offense, or the law under which the person was convicted has been found unconstitutional by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals or the United States Supreme Court. Based on the analysis of the Office of Court Administration, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council

LBB Staff:

UP, TB, KJo, GDz