TO:	Honorable Paul Bettencourt, Chair, Senate Committee on Local Government

FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	SB504 by Miles (Relating to authority of a county fire marshal to inspect group homes and assisted living facilities in certain counties; authorizing a fee; creating a criminal offense.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

The bill would amend the Local Government Code to provide for the authority of a certain county fire marshal to inspect group homes and assisted living facilities and to require the fire marshal to order remedial action if the marshal finds that certain dangerous conditions exist.

Failure to comply with such an order would be a Class B misdemeanor offense, unless it were shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant has been previously convicted two or more times for the same offense, in which event the offense would be a state jail felony.

This analysis assumes the provisions of the bill addressing felony sanctions for criminal offenses would not result in a significant impact on state correctional agencies and that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed using existing resources.

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

A Class B misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of not more than $2,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 180 days, or both. Costs associated with enforcement, prosecution and confinement could likely be absorbed within existing resources. Revenue gain from fines imposed and collected is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal implication.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


April 27, 2021