Honorable Garnet Coleman, Chair, House Committee on County Affairs
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3294 by Raymond (Relating to reimbursing a commissioners court for the reasonable cost of transporting a body for the purpose of an autopsy.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB3294, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2021.
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
2020
$0
2021
$0
2022
$0
2023
$0
2024
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Crime Victims Comp Acct 469
2020
($1,252,193)
2021
($1,252,193)
2022
($1,252,193)
2023
($1,252,193)
2024
($1,252,193)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to reimbursements for the transportation of a body for the purpose of conducting an autopsy if the cause of death was determined to be by unlawful means. The bill takes effect September 1, 2019.
Methodology
Based on analysis by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), the requirement to process reimbursements for transportation of bodies to or from a location to conduct autopsies would result in approximately 1,600 additional grant requests based on the average murder rate in the State of Texas for 2018. Additional grant awards, estimated to average $770 per award, would be funded out of General Revenue-Dedicated Fund 0469, Compensation to Victims of Crime. Based on this analysis, the provisions of the bill would have a fiscal impact to the state of approximately $1.3 million per fiscal year in General Revenue-Dedicated Fund 0469.
While the processing of these new grant award requests may require additional staff resources, it is assumed that these costs could be absorbed within existing agency resources.
Technology
The provisions of the bill regarding autopsy transportation reimbursements would require modification of the Crime Victim Management System. It is assumed that any costs to make such modifications could be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
The bill authorizes a grant which would allow a commissioners court to defray certain autopsy-related costs. No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.