LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 86TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 22, 2019

TO:	Honorable Nicole Collier, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:	John McGeady, Assistant Director     Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3554 by Farrar (relating to the admissibility of expert testimony regarding forensic analyses of physical evidence in a criminal case and to the regulation of certain expert witnesses.), 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 certain forensic analyses be performed by an accredited laboratory in order for the analyses to be admissible in court. Based on the analysis of the Office of Court Administration and the Department of Public Safety, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished using existing resources.
 
The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.

Local Government Impact

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

Source Agencies:

212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council, 405 Department of Public Safety

LBB Staff:

WP, LBO, DA