BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3345

By: Bonnen

Appropriations

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Legislature has taken steps to provide additional services to victims of sexual assault, human trafficking, and domestic abuse. Unpredictable revenues from court fees and stagnant fees imposed on sexually oriented businesses coupled with increasing demand for services and resulting appropriations have caused a structural deficit leading to the potential depletion of revenues to support these services. H.B. 3345 seeks to allow for more predictable revenue to support state services to victims of sexual assault, human trafficking, and domestic abuse by diverting one percent of the revenue from the mixed beverage gross receipts tax and the mixed beverage sales tax to the sexual assault program fund and by allowing the legislature to revisit the amount of the sexually oriented business fee every two years during the budgeting process.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3345 amends the Business & Commerce Code to authorize the legislature to set the fee imposed on a sexually oriented business for entry by each customer admitted to the business at an amount in the General Appropriations Act that is above the current $5 fee established in law.

H.B. 3345 amends the Tax Code to require the comptroller of public accounts to deposit to the credit of the sexual assault program fund an amount of money equal to one percent of the revenue from the mixed beverage gross receipts tax and mixed beverage sales tax.

H.B. 3345 amends the Government Code to make a conforming change.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.