LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 18, 2003

TO:	Honorable Terry Keel, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB852 by West, George "Buddy" (Relating to the punishment for the offense of harassment.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Penal Code by enhancing the punishment for the offense of harassment from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class B misdemeanor if the victim was younger than 17 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense and the communication was obscene.  It is assumed that the number of offenders convicted under this statute would not result in a significant impact on the programs and workload of state corrections agencies or on the demand for resources and services of those agencies.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:	696 Department Of Criminal Justice
LBB Staff:	JK, WK, GG