LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT STATEMENT
 
78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
March 2, 2003

TO:
Honorable Frank Corte, Chair, House Committee on Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations
 
FROM:
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB627 by Reyna (Relating to an area quarantine in response to a bioterrorist attack; imposing a criminal penalty.), As Introduced

The provision of the bill that is the subject of this analysis would amend the Health and Safety Code by making the knowing failure or refusal to obey a rule, order, or instruction of the Texas Board of Health or an order or instruction of a health authority issued under a board rule and published during an area quarantine punishable as a felony of the third degree.

A third degree felony is punishable by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 10 years or less than 2 years, or, in addition to confinement, a fine not to exceed $10,000.

No significant impact on the programs and workload of state corrections agencies or on the demand for resources and services of those agencies is anticipated from any provisions of this bill that authorize or require a change in the sanctions applicable to adults convicted of felony crimes.



Source Agencies:
582 Commission on Environmental Quality, 696 Department of Criminal Justice
LBB Staff:
JK, GG