Honorable John T. Smithee, Chair, House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1246 by Anchia (Relating to eligibility for compensation of persons wrongfully imprisoned.), As Introduced
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time and would depend on the number of claims for wrongful imprisonment compensation submitted in accordance with provisions of the bill.
This bill would amend Chapter 103 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code relating to compensation to persons wrongfully imprisoned. The bill would specify that a person is not entitled to compensation or group health benefit plan coverage for any part of a sentence in prison during which the person was also serving a concurrent sentence for another wrongful conviction for which the person already received the compensation or coverage.
The bill would allow a person seeking compensation, notwithstanding the current chapter provisions, who received a pardon or was granted compensation relief (as described in this chapter) before September 1, 1998, and who had not previously received compensation under this chapter or under Chapter 507, Acts of the 59th Legislature, Regular Session (1965), to file an application with the Comptroller for compensation under Subchapter B not later than September 1, 2020. This provision of the bill would expire September 2, 2020.
The bill would have an indeterminate impact on state cost for the payment of compensation claims as it is unknown the number of claims for compensation and group health benefit plan coverage which would be impacted by the bills provisions.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 696 Department of Criminal Justice