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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T
SPONSOR Campos
DATE TYPED 2/24/05
HB
SHORT TITLE Las Vegas and Pecos District Attorney Offices
SB 826
ANALYST Medina
APPROPRIATION
Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring
or Non-Rec
Fund
Affected
FY05
FY06
FY05
FY06
$54.7
Recurring General Fund
$35.7
Recurring General Fund
$65.2
Recurring General Fund
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates House Bill 809 in purpose but not in appropriation amount.
Relates to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LFC Files
Responses Received From
Administrative Office of the District Attorneys (AODA)
Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
Senate Bill 826 appropriates $155.6 from the general fund to the Fourth Judicial District Attor-
ney for the purpose of increasing staff and to open a district attorney office in Pecos and creating
a new special programs director position at the DA’s office in Las Vegas.
Significant Issues
This bill appropriates $54.7 for salary and benefits for an assistant trial attorney in Pecos, $35.7
for a secretary in Pecos, and $65.2 for a special programs director in Las Vegas. According to
AODA, staffing an office in Pecos will offset the current caseload in the Las Vegas office and
the Fourth DA would be able to better serve the citizens of the district.
pg_0002
Senate Bill 826 -- Page 2
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS
An additional attorney in the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office would decrease the aver-
age attorney caseload.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of $155.6 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any
unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2006 shall revert to the
general fund.
Continuing Appropriations
The LFC FY06 appropriation recommendation is balanced between revenues and expenditures
and any increase in recurring funding must be offset by reductions in other areas of the recom-
mendation. The Legislature must consider all priorities and funding requirements to find reve-
nue to support this legislation.
RELATIONSHIP
House Bill 809 duplicates the intent of this bill but differs in that it rounds the appropriation
amount to the nearest dollar, rather than the nearest cent as this bill does.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
The counties are required by statute to provide office space for the district attorneys. This bill
does not address the issue of office space nor additional supplies and equipment for the proposed
new employees.
WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL.
The Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office will continue to be staffed at the current level,
without an office in Pecos.
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
How many cases per year does the DA prosecute that involve working in Pecos.
DXM/yr