LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT STATEMENT
 
78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 8, 2003

TO:
Honorable Terry Keel, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence
 
FROM:
John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB827 by Whitmire (Relating to creating offenses for abandoning or endangering an elderly individual or disabled individual and for failing to provide certain care for a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual. ), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

The bill would amend the Penal Code by including elderly individuals and disabled individuals in the current offense of abandoning or endangering a child.  The bill would also amend the Penal Code by including the intentional or knowing failure to provide adequate food, medical care, or shelter to a child younger than 15 years, an elderly individual, or a disabled individual, as committing the offense of abandoning or endangering a child, an elderly individual, or a disabled individual.  The punishment for the offense of abandoning or endangering a child ranges from a state jail felony to a felony of the second degree, depending on the intent of the actor and the presence of imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment.

 

A state jail felony is punishable by confinement in a state jail for any term of not more than two years or less than 180 days, or, in addition to confinement, a fine not to exceed $10,000.

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.

A second degree felony is punishable by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 20 years or less than 2 years, or, in addition to confinement, a fine not to exceed $10,000.

It is assumed that the number of additional 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.


Source Agencies:
LBB Staff:
JK, GG