Honorable Todd Hunter, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1133 by Blanco (Relating to a program to compensate landowners for property damage caused by certain criminal activities.), As Engrossed
The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to costs being dependent upon the amount appropriated to the program, the number of applicants, and the number of awards.
The bill would establish a program within the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to compensate landowners for the costs associated with real property damage to agricultural land committed by trespassers who are engaging in a border crime or law enforcement response to a trespasser who was engaged in a border crime. This program would operate as a payer of last resort for property damaged described by the bill and would be capped at $75,000 per award. An applicant would not be eligible to receive a compensation award through this program if they are eligible for reimbursement from another source. The OAG would be required to determine whether a hearing on an application for compensation is necessary. The bill establishes an annual report to be submitted by the OAG to the Office of the Governor and the Legislature that contains the OAG's activities related to the grant program.
It is assumed that the Office of the Attorney General would be able to absorb administrative costs within current resources. However, the number of applications and the number of grantees are unknown, as well as the appropriation that would be provided for this program.
The Comptroller's Office indicates that the fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts