LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE 74th Regular Session March 27, 1995 TO: Honorable Allen Hightower, Chair IN RE: House Bill No. 2162 Committee on Corrections By: Hightower House of Representatives Austin, Texas FROM: John Keel, Director In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No. 2162 (relating to the efficient administration of the criminal justice system) this office has determined the following: The bill would amend the Penal Code, Government Code, and Code of Criminal Procedure by: - increasing the punishment for certain assault offenses from Class A misdemeanors to felonies of the third degree; - eliminating the 12 month limit for which certain inmates may be confined in a transfer facility; and - repealing current law which prohibits the use of state jails for the transfer of inmates from the jail backlog after August 31, 1997. Under current law the use of state jails for the transfer of inmates from the jail backlog is prohibited after August 31, 1997. Projections by the Criminal Justice Policy Council indicate that this prohibition will result in approximately 17,000 unused state jail beds by September, 1997, and a corresponding increase in the county jail backlog of paper-ready felons. Any changes proposed by the Seventy-fourth Legislature regarding the use of state jails would impact future capacity requirements. The fiscal implication to the State or units of local government cannot be determined. Source: LBB Staff: JK, BP, GG, RR