LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 28, 2021

TO:
Honorable James White, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety
 
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB24 by Huffman (Relating to the procedures required before a law enforcement agency hires a peace officer.), As Engrossed


Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB24, As Engrossed : a negative impact of ($981,008) through the biennium ending August 31, 2023.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:

Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to
General Revenue Related Funds
2022($744,360)
2023($236,648)
2024($237,040)
2025($237,040)
2026($237,040)

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from
General Revenue Fund
1

Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2021
2022($744,360)2.0
2023($236,648)2.0
2024($237,040)2.0
2025($237,040)2.0
2026($237,040)2.0


Fiscal Analysis

The bill would amend the Occupations Code by allowing a hiring law enforcement agency to view the contents of a police officer's personnel file.

The bill would amend the Occupations Code by adding Section 1701.4511, which establishes preemployment procedural requirements before a law enforcement agency hires a peace officer.

Methodology

The bill would require the Texas Commission on Law enforcement (TCOLE) to establish forms and procedures that allows a person's employment records to be electronically available to a hiring law enforcement agency.

Based upon the information provided by the agency, it is assumed it would cost $500,000 in fiscal year 2022 for a database system and portal that would be used to facilitate the provisions of the bill.

Additionally, it would require one Systems Support Specialist IV and one Program Specialist II to implement and maintain the system. The total cost for hiring 2.0 FTEs is estimated to be $152,320 in fiscal year 2022, $144,608 in fiscal year 2023, and $145,000 in each fiscal year thereafter.

This analysis assumes implementing the provisions of the bill would not result in a significant impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources.


Technology

According to TCOLE, the estimated cost for electronic security would cost $81,000 per fiscal year and the cloud storage would cost $11,040 per fiscal year.


Local Government Impact

El Paso County and Gaines County do not anticipate a fiscal impact to the counties. However, there may be a one-time fiscal impact to sheriff's offices as a result of implementing the bill's provisions, but in an amount that will not be significant after the first fiscal year.


Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety, 407 Law Enforcement
LBB Staff:
JMc, DKN, KFB, NA, CMA