Honorable Joan Huffman, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB14 by Taylor, Van (Relating to the ethics of public officers and related requirements; creating criminal offenses.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code and the Elections Code relating to the ethics of public officers and related requirements and would create criminal offenses. The bill would make ineligible for retirement benefits applicable public officers convicted of a qualifying felony.
The Employees Retirement System assumes the bill could be implemented using existing resources and the proposed changes would have no impact on the projected August 31, 2017 actuarial valuation results.
This analysis assumes costs associated with implementing the bill could be absorbed by the Texas Ethics Commission using existing resources.
The bill would take effect January 8, 2019.
Local Government Impact
According to the Texas County and District Retirement System, the bill provides TCDRS members who are elected officials and who are convicted of a "qualifying felony" committed while in office would be ineligible for a retirement annuity from TCDRS. This analysis assumes the bill would not have a significant fiscal impact on the Texas County and District Retirement System and any administrative costs could be absorbed within existing resources.
A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of not more than $4,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year, 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.