According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), HB 4915 is projected to have a negative fiscal impact on the Texas General Revenue Fund totaling approximately $3.87 million over the 2026–2027 biennium. The primary cost driver is the creation of the Texas Public Defense Internship and Fellowship Program, which is designed to support the placement of law students and recent graduates in public defense roles throughout underserved regions of the state. The program, administered by the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, is allocated $3.66 million for grants and stipends over two years. Administrative costs, including one full-time staff position, employee benefits, and related operating expenses, account for an additional $211,822 over the biennium.

Other fiscal provisions in the bill—including expanded responsibilities for public defender offices and managed assigned counsel (MAC) programs, new reimbursement mechanisms for counties via the Comptroller, and mandated compensation for certain attorney expenses—do not carry significant direct costs for the state within the scope of this fiscal note. While these measures may have some downstream cost effects, particularly in counties with high indigent defense caseloads, they are not expected to impose substantial new fiscal burdens on local governments or the judiciary in the short term.

Importantly, the bill does not itself make an appropriation but establishes the legal framework for future appropriations to support these initiatives. If appropriations are not made, implementation of certain provisions—especially those related to the internship and fellowship program—would be limited. However, the bill's structure suggests a commitment to long-term investment in the public defense infrastructure, especially in rural and under-resourced communities, with a goal of improving access to constitutionally required legal representation for indigent Texans.

HB 4915 presents a focused reform package aimed at improving the fairness and effectiveness of Texas's indigent defense system. It strengthens protections for individuals who cannot afford legal representation, especially during magistrate hearings and in post-conviction proceedings, while also providing structural support to public defender offices and managed assigned counsel (MAC) programs. It introduces safeguards to ensure defendants understand their rights, improves attorney appointment processes, and establishes the Texas Public Defense Internship and Fellowship Program to attract legal talent to underserved areas.

The bill does modestly expand the scope of government, primarily through increased responsibilities for the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and by enabling new forms of legal support and program administration. These are mission-driven expansions intended to fulfill constitutional due process guarantees, not broad bureaucratic growth. Additionally, the bill does not impose any new regulatory burdens on individuals or businesses and instead increases operational flexibility by allowing private attorneys to assist in a limited, targeted capacity.

From a fiscal standpoint, there is a reasonable concern: the bill is projected to cost $3.87 million over the 2026–27 biennium. This cost is almost entirely devoted to student grants and fellowships, a new staffing position, and administrative operations to support these programs. Importantly, the bill’s original revenue stream from the alcohol tax was removed in the committee substitute, further limiting its financial footprint​.

That said, it is fair to acknowledge concerns about the cost, especially for those who advocate for strict spending discipline. While modest, this is still a new commitment of public funds. However, it is one that is likely to generate long-term efficiencies, including reduced incarceration costs, fewer retrials due to inadequate defense, and better overall system outcomes. In this light, the bill represents a strategic and constitutionally aligned investment, rather than unchecked spending.

HB 4915 responsibly enhances due process protections for low-income Texans while keeping financial and regulatory impacts low. The modest cost is justified by the importance of the liberties it helps protect. For these reasons, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES on HB 4915.

• Individual Liberty: The bill is a direct reinforcement of the principle that all individuals have the right to due process and fair legal representation, regardless of income. By expanding access to legal counsel for indigent defendants—especially in the critical early stages of arrest and during post-conviction proceedings—the bill helps ensure that individuals are not wrongfully imprisoned or coerced into plea deals simply because they cannot afford a lawyer. It also mandates that arrested individuals are clearly informed of their rights (including the right to an attorney, the right to remain silent, and the procedures for requesting counsel), and requires special steps to ensure these rights are understood by people with language barriers, intellectual disabilities, or mental health conditions. These provisions reflect a strong commitment to protecting civil liberties in practice, not just in theory.
• Personal Responsibility: The bill does not absolve defendants of accountability or weaken criminal justice enforcement. Instead, it ensures that the state upholds its constitutional obligations when prosecuting individuals. The bill respects the notion that responsibility also applies to the government, to follow lawful processes and respect individual rights. It holds the system accountable, not the individual.
• Free Enterprise: The bill has no effect on private business activity or market regulations. It neither imposes new business rules nor alters market structures. If anything, it creates limited work opportunities for private attorneys to contract with public defender offices, but this is done voluntarily and within clearly defined parameters.
• Private Property Rights: The bill does not alter or threaten any aspect of personal or commercial property rights. It focuses exclusively on the administration of criminal justice and public legal services.
• Limited Government: The bill does expand the role of government slightly, especially by increasing the responsibilities of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, managed assigned counsel programs, and public defender offices. It also creates a new internship and fellowship program to support legal representation in underserved areas. However, this expansion is narrowly tailored to uphold existing constitutional rights, not to create new entitlements or ongoing regulatory burdens. The additional structure is designed to fulfill the state’s Sixth Amendment obligation to provide counsel and to address documented inefficiencies in the current system. These are measured increases in scope that advance liberty, not restrict it.

• SB 2111 (Same As)