According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), HB 3636 would have no significant fiscal implications for the state. The proposed requirements—such as transferring restitution payments along with limited victim information and maintaining a public contact for county officials—are expected to be manageable using the existing resources of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and the Office of Court Administration. Therefore, no additional state funding or budgetary adjustments would be necessary to implement the bill.

Similarly, there is no significant fiscal impact expected for local governments. Although county clerks will receive and process more detailed restitution payment transfers, the responsibilities added by the bill (such as protecting confidential information and handling the payments) are not considered burdensome enough to require additional staffing or resources. The limited nature of the administrative changes allows local governments to absorb any minor costs within their current operational frameworks.

Overall, HB 3636 is designed to streamline procedures and enhance efficiency without creating new financial strains on either the state or local governments. Its careful structuring avoids imposing unfunded mandates or significant operational costs, which helps preserve fiscal discipline while improving victim restitution processes.

Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES on HB 3636 because it strengthens the restitution process for crime victims while maintaining a strong commitment to limited, efficient government. The bill addresses problems created by prior reforms that unintentionally left court clerks without the information needed to disburse restitution payments. It now requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to transmit a victim’s last known address when transferring restitution funds to a court clerk, ensuring more timely and accurate distribution. It also enhances privacy protections by clarifying that victim information remains confidential.

Importantly, the bill does not grow the size or scope of government. It simply streamlines existing duties without creating new agencies, programs, or layers of bureaucracy. There is no increase in taxpayer burden, as the Legislative Budget Board found that any minor implementation costs can be absorbed with current resources. Further, the bill imposes no new regulatory burdens on individuals, businesses, or nonprofits — its requirements are internal to government operations.

Additionally, HB 3636 shortens the period for declaring restitution funds "abandoned" from five to three years, enabling quicker transfer of those funds to the Texas Comptroller for proper handling.

• Individual Liberty: The bill directly advances individual liberty by improving the process for crime victims to receive restitution payments. By requiring TDCJ to provide victims’ last known addresses and ensuring confidential handling of their information, the bill makes it easier for individuals to claim property that is rightfully theirs without unnecessary barriers. Victims are better protected and empowered under the law.
• Personal Responsibility: The bill reinforces the principle that both offenders (through restitution) and state agencies (through proper administration) have personal responsibilities to fulfill. It ensures that restitution payments are handled in a timely and organized manner, reflecting the importance of meeting obligations to others without undue delay.
• Free Enterprise: The bill does not impact businesses or free markets. It is solely concerned with governmental and judicial administrative processes and does not interfere with or impose burdens on the private sector.
• Private Property Rights: Restitution payments represent private financial rights of crime victims. The bill protects those rights by ensuring that victim payments are not unnecessarily delayed, lost, or inaccessible. It also shortens the abandonment period from five years to three years, expediting the process for unclaimed property to be handled properly.
• Limited Government: Rather than growing government, the bill limits and streamlines administrative responsibilities. It simplifies information sharing requirements, reduces bureaucratic delay, avoids creating new government entities, and carries no additional taxpayer burden. It tightens government processes to be more efficient and less invasive.

• SB 1666 (Same As)