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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR

Chasey

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

1/22/07

HB

193

SHORT TITLE

Leave for Crime Victims at Legal Proceedings

SB

ANALYST

C.Sanchez

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total Cost

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

Total Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Recurring

Various

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Bill 193 requires employers to provide paid or unpaid leave to an employee who is a

crime victim who wishes to attend any judicial proceeding related to the crime. The employer

can require the employee to provide satisfactory evidence in support of the leave request.

Definitions in the bill include:

•

Crime victim – person against whom a criminal offense is committed or a family member

or victim’s representative when the victim is a minor, incompetent or a homicide victim

•

Employer – any person employing four or more persons and any person acting for the

employer

•

Satisfactory evidence – any police, court, or official records or reports concerning a crime

committed against the victim

The effective date of this bill is July 1, 2007.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

There will be a minimal administrative cost for statewide update, distribution and documentation

of statutory changes. Any additional fiscal impact would be proportional to the enforcement of

House Bill 193 – Page

2

this law and commenced prosecutions. New laws, amendments to existing laws and new hear-

ings have the potential to increase caseloads in the courts, thus requiring additional resources to

handle the increase.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

This bill will make it easier for victims of crimes to attend court hearings. This should allow

courts to run more efficiently. Delays because victim testimony is not available are not uncom-

mon. This bill should minimize these delays.

This bill will also help increase judicial participation among private sector employees.

PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

The courts are participating in performance-based budgeting. It is unknown if enactment of this

bill would impact performance measures as they relate to judicial budgeting.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

See Significant Issues above.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

State employees already receive personal leave hours which can be used for various things in-

cluding court appointments.

ALTERNATIVES

Include language that excludes state employees who already benefit from personal leave hours.

WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ENACTING THIS BILL

Status quo.

CS/nt