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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.

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