TO:	Honorable Senfronia Thompson, Chair, House Committee on Youth Health & Safety, Select
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2725 by VanDeaver (Relating to truancy; increasing a criminal penalty.), As Introduced

It is assumed that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed using existing resources.

The bill would amend the Education Code to allow for truancy prevention measures previously applied to a student to meet the prevention measures for future school years. It would increase punishments for truancy by $300 per level offense and would require courts to dismiss fines imposed on proof the child reached 21 years of age, graduated high school/obtained a GED, or enlisted in the military. It would also add reporting requirements for school districts and would create an option for parents convicted of contributing to nonattendance to obtain a nondisclosure order. 

The Comptroller of Public Accounts assumes that the fines increased in maximum amounts by this bill would be locally distributed; therefore, there would be no impact to state revenues.

The bill would increase the penalty for truancy, a misdemeanor offense. This analysis assumes there would be no population impact to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

Local Government Impact

Justice courts would see increased truancy filings, and increased filings from parents convicted of contributing to nonattendance seeking nondisclosure orders.  This would likely result in increased revenue, but the Office of Court Administration assumes that the amount cannot be determined.

There may be costs to Local Education Agencies which would need to report students referred to a truancy court in addition to parents.